Carved in stone
by TheForceIsStrongWithThisOne
Summary: Raven makes a terrible mistake that permanently ends her 5 year relationship with Beast Boy. Can she undo the damage, or is it carved in stone? Chapter 45 is posted. Off to Star Labs!
1. Chapter 1

Hello readers.

This is going to be a different kind of story for me. Some of you might not like it, but I ask that you give it a chance.

_**-( scene break )-**_

"You are so immature!"

The superhero known as 'Changeling' crossed his green arms across his now broad chest and glared at his girlfriend.

"Gee, Rae, that put down is so … original." He replied in a huff. "It's what, the 527th time you've called me that?"

"Only because it's true." She snapped back at him.

"Oh, I see, I'm immature because I'd like us to go out somewhere I'd like, for a change."

Starfire watched the altercation nervously from the kitchen, where she was preparing some of her Tamaranian slop, which was probably toxic for humans. She was sorely tempted to intervene, but past experience had taught her that it was pointless. The best thing to do was to allow the Chromatically Challenged Couple™ to run their spat until it petered out of its own accord. After that they would both sulk for a few days, after which Garfield would approach Raven with a conciliatory gesture, maybe some flowers or if it was a really bad fight he might take her out to dinner and maybe a concert with the city's symphony orchestra.

Starfire, Nightwing and Cyborg would know that the civil war was over when the changeling resumed sleeping in Raven's room. That usually lasted about 6 weeks, though once they went three whole months before having another fight.

Such was life in the Tower, which was now inhabited by the "Titans" who had long since dropped the word "Teen" from their title. A lot had changed in the Tower, but none of the changes had been quite as unexpected as the formation of Chromatically Challenged Couple™. It was one of those events people would sometimes describe as "No one could have seen it coming", and the truth is that neither Raven or Beast Boy, as he was still known back then, could explain what hit them.

It was one of those strange, inexplicable cosmic events. It defied all conventions and common sense. Raven was a taciturn, introverted, emotionless intellectual. By her admission she didn't do "fun" and her idea of a good time was reading dull college textbooks. The changeling was the opposite. He was extroverted, wore his emotions on his sleeve and was very much into fun. Oh, and he hated reading books with a passion, unless they were of the graphic novel variety.

When they actually became a couple was a complete mystery. They never announced their relationship to their friends, and in fact, to this very day Raven would deny that the changeling was her boyfriend; even though they had been sharing a bed for almost five years now, at least when they weren't fighting. When they did fight, he would go back to his room and stay there until she allowed him to return.

They were now entering what Cyborg had clinically labeled "phase 1" of the fight cycle. It was very predictable. Raven would insult Garfield, usually attacking his alleged lack of intelligence.

"The places you like to go are juvenile and puerile." She replied with a slight edge in her voice.

In the five years they were together, Raven only ever apologized once to him. On that occasion she insulted his dead parents. That time she had gone over the line and he retreated to his room and stayed there. After fourteen excruciating weeks, which filled the Tower with enough tension as to affect the others she finally caved in and apologized to him.

"You always say that!" He protested. "Why do we always have to do your stuff?"

That happened two years ago. Raven learned her lesson and never again mentioned the names of Marie and Mark Logan in an unflattering context. She stuck with what was safe. The problem with that however, was that it was predictable and was becoming unsatisfying for her, which is why she would sometimes venture into uncharted waters.

"If you don't like my choices, you can always find someone else to go with you to see Mutant Ninja Zombies 27, because I sure won't."

This had become Raven's new game with Beast Boy. She would dare him to date someone else.

"You know what? Maybe I will! In fact, I'll get a date for the Titans' Ball."

The Ball was an annual event started at Starfire's insistence. At the time Robin agreed with her, saying that it would be a good team building exercise to have Titans East and all the honorary Titans come to visit. Starfire simply thought it would be "the fun". Thus the annual tradition began and the upcoming Ball, which was just a few days away, would be the fifth one celebrated by the team.

"Good luck with that." She taunted him.

"You think I can't get a date, do you?"

This had become a new ritual. The changeling would indeed go out and try to find a girl to date. But the bitter truth was that, as Raven once told him in Tokyo, he was green, and had pointy ears and fangs. The local ladies always rebuffed him. He once asked Nightwing if he could take the T-Ship to Japan to find a date. His request was denied.

Now, one might think that Raven was cruel and didn't love the changeling. While she was indeed cruel she did love him very much. She only told him that she loved him when they were in bed together. The only time she ever admitted her love in public had been on the day he was shot during a routine bank robbery. He had been careless that day and after he recovered from what was a minor wound she read him the riot act in the common room, in front of her friends. Cyborg asked Raven why she was so upset. Her answer was textbook Raven: "Why? Are you an idiot? Don't you know that I love him!?"

"You're welcome to try and find a date." She replied smugly.

The changeling stormed out of the room. If events unfurled as expected he would return that evening with his tail between his legs and concede defeat to Raven. Now before you feel too sorry for Garfield, this was when they would have their best rolls in the hay, sometimes the Tower would even tremble slightly. The other three all agreed that they had the strangest relationship, but since they had somehow remained together for almost five years, what could they say? The dating gambit was one of their more mild recurring disputes and it usually meant that they skipped over "phase 2" or as Starfire called it "the sulk" and went directly into "phase 3", the reconciliation, which as already described usually involved copious lovemaking sessions.

They were an unconventional couple, and over the years their friends became accustomed to their bizarre relationship. However bizarre it was, they were monogamous. While Raven always denied that they were in any sort of committed relationship, she had no other lovers, though more than once she publicly announced that she reserved the right to have them. The changeling never said anything about their relationship but was just as monogamous as Raven. For one thing, he never made good on the threat to date someone else. Apparently he had no reason to do such a thing.

No one was as disturbed with the unconventional couple as Starfire. The Tamaranian was a hopeless romantic and was deeply troubled by what appeared to be their highly dysfunctional relationship. During the first year she intervened repeatedly, telling Raven "that is no way to treat your boyfriend." Raven always replied the same way: "He's not my boyfriend and I'll treat him however I please."

Robin and Cyborg kept out of it from the beginning, though they often privately speculated about the amorous sessions the Chromatically Challenged Couple shared, reasoning that if Garfield was willing to put up with Raven's crap either he really loved her or she was a goddess in the bedroom. Maybe it was both, but in the end they decided to let sleeping dogs lie.

What was interesting about that day was that the changeling returned an hour later from his date hunting expedition with a big grin on his face. He barged into the common room and marched right up to Raven, who was sitting on the crescent shaped couch, reading a book. She didn't even look up at him.

"I got a date for the Ball!" He gloated.

She smiled maliciously at him. "Hiring a girl from an escort service doesn't count as a date."

"Sorry to disappoint you, Rave, but she's the real deal."

Raven shut her book. "Anyone I know?"

"I don't want to spoil the surprise." He gloated. "So, do you have a date?"

"I don't need one. Once your date ditches you, you'll come crawling back to me."

"Aren't you the confident little witch?"

Raven glared at him. "Don't call me that!"

Changeling suddenly looked emboldened. "Oh, did I hurt your feelings?"

Raven got up and stormed out of the room, the sliding doors closing behind her. Starfire began to fret.

"Oh, friend Beast Boy, I do not like this new situation. Only unhappiness will come from it!"

Cyborg shook his head. "Nuh, uh! It's about time if you ask me."

The tin man placed a metallic hand on the shape shifter's shoulder.

"Listen up, BB, I know that you and Raven have your own kind of relationship, but, c'mon man, she's had you whipped for years. I don't know why you accept that arrangement and I won't speculate. The thing is now you're in the driver's seat … your date … she is legit … right?"

The changeling laughed. "100% legit."

"She ain't ugly or anything?"

"She's a total babe. Raven isn't gonna like her, I guarantee it."

The tin man grinned. "Good, because what you need to do is show Raven that you don't need her and that if she wants you, that there are some new rules to the game."

"New rules?" The changeling asked.

"You'd better believe it. First of all, this crap that you're not her boyfriend has to end. Second, she needs to show you some respect!"

Nightwing laughed. "Raven? You expect Raven to show Gar some respect?"

Cyborg laughed. "You better believe it."

Nightwing grinned. "And just how is this miracle going to happen?"

"Easy man, piece of cake. When Raven sees BB's date all over him she's gonna understand that he's the man!"

"Or, she might kill him." Nightwing retorted.

"Wrong! She told him to get a date; she's in no position to complain."

Nightwing turned to face the changeling. "Gar, this is a bad idea. If you're unhappy with how Raven treats you, then tell her."

"Pfft!" Cyborg interjected. "If he does that he might as well cut his nuts off and give them to her. He needs to act from a position of strength. If he can show her that he doesn't need her she'll be putty in his hands."

Starfire cleared her throat. "Maybe Garfield does not want the putty in his hands. Maybe he just wants a girlfriend."

"That's the thing, Star. Raven won't even acknowledge that BB is her boyfriend. Sure, we can make excuses for her. She's half demon, she's uncomfortable with her emotions, she's "complicated". But you know what? I ain't buying it. Raven treats B like crap because he lets her."

Cyborg turned to the changeling. "So B, what's it gonna be?"

Changeling looked lost in thought. Finally he spoke up. "I kind of like the idea of her being jealous."

Cyborg grinned. "Good … and whoever your mystery date is, make sure she dresses for the part. Cleavage is good. And don't forget to touch her … a lot. Grab her ass, especially when Raven is nearby."

"This is wrong!" Starfire growled. "Garfield, you cannot use another girl as an instrument to make Raven jealous. It is unfair to your date!"

Cyborg shrugged his shoulders. "It's just a date, and who knows? Maybe they'll hit it off."

Nightwing chimed in. "I'm with Star on this one. Don't play games with her, Gar. Be honest and upfront. If Raven refuses to change and it's important to you … well … then maybe it's time to move on. But manipulating her is a bad idea."

Changeling shook his head. "Sorry, but I need to show Raven that I can get a date and that I'm not a pushover. You know, I've been really patient with her and nothing's changed. She dumps on me, she insults me, tells me I'm stupid. Then, when I get fed up, she uses sex to reel me back in. So you tell me what's wrong with me manipulating her? She does it to me all the time."

"She's not going to like it, Gar."

The changeling smiled at his friend. "I'm counting on it."

_**-( scene break )-**_

Raven phased through the door into her room and sat down on the edge of her bed, which she sadly realized she wouldn't be sharing that night. She leaned forward and cradled her head in her hands.

"What in Azar's name is he doing?" She muttered to herself. "Is he really going to bring a date to the Ball?"

Raven sighed. Five years ago, the little green imp confessed his love to her. Those were perhaps the most terrifying words she had ever heard. He said "I love you."

Those three simple words had sent her mind into turmoil. Nevermore looked as if it had been hit by a hurricane, her emotions were cast into such disarray.

Getting those emotions into check was an epic task. None of them were cooperative. It was a disaster, but she was able to pull it off … well … almost. There was Rage to deal with. It's not that Rage wasn't willing to cooperate, but she had a few conditions. The main one was that Raven would continue to treat Garfield like crap, at least in public. Rage's compromise was that in the privacy of Raven's room she would behave, and why wouldn't she? There was going to be sex … lots of sex, and that suited Rage just fine.

Of course, Raven knew that this was a cop out. It wasn't like she had all these little people running around in her head and that she was an innocent bystander, all these feelings and actions were her own, she couldn't blame them on anyone other than herself. The truth was that she wanted to treat Gar like crap during the daytime and to fuck his brains out at night. And she knew very well that there was no one else she wanted to do this with, she really did love him. It was all so complicated. Then again, no one ever said that being a dysfunctional demoness was easy.

She explained it all to him five years ago. He understood and agreed to the conditions. Surely he knew it was just a game when she insulted him. Sure, she crossed the line with his parents, but she publicly apologized. He knew what he was getting into. He knew what the deal was. It was true, she would always deny being in a committed relationship with him, but did that really matter if she was faithful to him in private?

So what the hell was he doing? A date? If he wanted to change the rules why not ask her? OK, so she was inflexible, but did that really matter? She gave him what he really wanted every night.

Or did he want something else?

_**-( scene break )-**_

OK, you're wondering to yourself "Force, what the hell are you doing?" The answer is: something different.


	2. Advice and expensive dresses

The three days until the Ball passed by quickly. The Titans responded to the usual bank robberies and jewelry store heists with much aplomb and worked like the well oiled team that they were. Raven did not allow the upcoming Ball to affect her performance with the team and she did not appear to be distracted at all.

Which was interesting, as Garfield's mystery date was pretty much on the other three Titans' collective minds. Her hidden identity consumed them with unadulterated curiosity. Cyborg pried at the changeling to reveal who she was. When that failed he asked for a description of the woman. Finally, the morning before the Ball, while they were working together to prepare the common room for the party, the changeling was helping Cyborg install the disco lights, when he finally cracked and revealed some details, under Cyborg's relentless questioning.

"So, B, are you gonna tell me what this mystery woman is like or are you gonna make me wait until the party?"

As he finished wiring one of the light boxes he turned to his friend and grinned.

"She's tall, taller than she used to be."

Cyborg chuckled. "So, she's a bean pole?"

"I didn't say that. She was a bean pole when she was younger, but she's filled out, rather nicely I might add, especially her legs, nice butt too."

"Now that's what I'm talking about B, remember what I told you, when Raven's around your hand goes straight to that girl's ass and it stays there. If Raven sees that, she'll know that your date is more than just 'comfortable' with you. She'll know that woman is more than ready to become her replacement."

Changeling stopped working and looked his in the eye. "Cy, you don't think that's going to far do you? I mean … the only ass I want to grab is Raven's. What if she gets really pissed at me?"

"She won't … sure, she might pull a long face when she sees you with your date, but that's the idea. Once you've shown her that you can hold your own she'll surrender. No more of this "you're not my boyfriend crap". You know B, I don't get it, we all know you guys have been sleeping together for years, so why the hell won't she just come forward and admit that you're her man?"

The changeling sighed. "She has her reasons."

"I don't buy it. If she can share her bed with you then it wouldn't kill her to publicly admit that she's your woman. Or do you have to get shot again for her to do that? And while we're at it, she could show you some respect … I know she won't ever change completely, heck I still kind of enjoy it when she dumps on you, but c'mon B, you've allowed yourself to become her punching bag … is she really that good?"

Without looking up, he replied: "I guess she is."

Cyborg frowned. "Look B, I don't care how good of a fuck she is, this has to change. Do you really want to go through the rest of your life with a woman who keeps kicking you out of her bed every time she gets pissed with you and only lets you back in after you come back to her on your knees?"

He shook his head as he replied. "No … I don't."

Cyborg grinned. "Good, that's what I want to hear. So tell me, this girl, is she blond by any chance?"

He smiled as he nodded.

"Excellent … Raven hates blonds. When she sees you kissing her and stroking her ass she'll fold like a deck of cards."

The changeling gave his friend a worried look. "Cy, are you sure this is a good idea? What if she really gets pissed and dumps me?"

"It won't happen, B, trust me. You're just showing her that you have options. Sure, she'll be in a huff and won't talk to you for a while, but if you stick to the plan she'll fold. And when that happens, you'll get to define the terms, not her."

The changeling smiled. "Yeah, I'd like that."

Cyborg grinned. "And besides, who says you can't have any bedroom fun with your date? It'll help give you some perspective. You know, Raven might not be as good in the sack as you think she is…"

"NO!" Changeling shouted as he rose to his feet. The other three Titans, who were busy with their own preparation tasks stopped their activities and turned to stare at him.

"Sorry guys … I'll keep it down." He apologized before kneeling back down, resuming his wiring work and turning to Cyborg.

"Dude, that's going too far, I'm not gonna cheat on her."

Cyborg dismissively shook his head while a small smile formed on his lips.

"B, she won't even commit herself to you. What makes you think she's been faithful to you? In case you've forgotten, it's a lot easier for a girl to find someone to cheat with than for a guy. And face it man, she's got the goods: a nice rack and a sweet, tight ass. All she has to do is ask and most guys will say "Hell, yeah". Do you really think that that in five years she's never cheated on you?"

The changeling's face reddened in anger. "Listen Cyborg, I know Raven's a bitch and that she has fun treating me like dirt. But she has never cheated on me, never! And hell will freeze over before I cheat on her, got it?"

Cyborg raised a hand in an apologetic gesture.

"I got it … but you know what B? She doesn't deserve you, not the way she treats you now. But we'll change that, you'll see."

They resumed working on installing the disco lights and spoke no more of the matter.

_**-( scene break )-**_

_Two hours later, at the Jump City Galleria Mall …_

"Are you sure they can have a dress ready for me on such short notice?" Raven asked.

Raven simply wore her Titan's costume to previous Titans' festivities, including the all out gala Ball. She would also usually ignore Garfield at those events, not even exchanging a word with him. That did not go unnoticed by their teammates and friends. What also didn't go unnoticed was that they would always excuse themselves towards the end of the party, often within minutes of each other. They weren't fooling anyone.

"You should have told me that you wished to wear a dress this time before today."

As they walked down the bustling hallway they passed several shops that had dresses displayed in their windows.

"They have dresses there, in that store." Raven remarked while mall patrons tried to gawk at the shapely female superheroes as subtly as possible.

"Those dresses are unsuitable for the Ball." Starfire replied in a huff.

"They look nice to me." Raven replied. "And they look like they are ready to wear."

"You will not wear an off the rack dress from the Dress Barn, Raven. Not to the Ball."

Raven said nothing and followed Starfire into the mall's flagship department store: Saks Fifth Avenue. As they entered the women at the ubiquitous cosmetics counter stared at them, until one spoke up: "Miss Raven, would you like a complimentary makeover?"

Starfire turned. "We will return later to accept your offer."

Raven glared at Starfire. "A makeover? As in make up? I don't do make up."

"You will today, but we must first find your dress. Once we have it, then we will allow the ladies of the cosmetics to do their magic."

The two Titans boarded the escalator while the women running the cosmetics counter grinned. Finally one of them spoke up to the woman who offered the sorceress the makeover.

"I see you like a challenge, huh Angela?"

Angela grinned. "If I can make her look good, I can make anyone look good."

_**-( scene break )-**_

Raven felt absolutely bewildered in the high end department store, like a fish out of water. They were surrounded by elegantly dressed and well coiffed women, many who looked good enough to be models.

"Who are all these beautiful young women?" She whispered to Starfire. "And how can they afford to shop here? Have you seen the prices?"

"They are the trophy wives."

Raven frowned. "That's disgusting. They're married to men they don't even love, and just for the money. They're no better than prostitutes."

Starfire raised one of her alien eyebrows. "They seem to be happy with the arrangement as are their husbands. As you once said, who are we to judge?"

Starfire and Raven finally arrived at their destination. It was a boutique within the store. A matronly woman wearing a measuring tape around her neck was waiting for them. She smiled as they arrived.

"Welcome ladies. Starfire said it was an emergency. If that's the case, you came to the right place."

She led them into a spacious fitting room, which was surrounded with mirrors.

"I thank you for your help, Miss Caroline." Starfire replied.

"I'm more than happy to help you and your friend. By the way Starfire, your dress is ready, we'll do your final fitting after we find something for Miss Raven."

She turned to Raven. "Now my dear, I need you to remove that cape and the leotard you're wearing."

Raven complied and the woman quickly measured Raven.

"Do you have suitable undergarments to wear with the gown?" She asked the sorceress.

"She does not; we will need to purchase those as well." Starfire replied.

"We can take care of that … I have a dress in mind that I think will be perfect for you Miss Raven, I'll be right back."

As soon as Caroline left the room Raven turned to Starfire and frowned. "What the hell is wrong with my underwear?"

"There is nothing wrong with it; it is merely incompatible with a fine evening gown. The fabric in both your panties and bra is too thick. And all of your bras have shoulder straps."

Caroline quickly returned with a shimmering blue strapless evening gown.

"Try this one on, dear."

With Starfire's help Raven slipped it on. Starfire zipped her up and Raven stared mesmerized into the multiple mirrors which gave a nearly 360 degree view.

"Wow." Was the only word that came out of her mouth.

Starfire nodded approvingly. "Miss Caroline, you have as some would say, "the eye". This is the perfect dress for Raven.

"Normally, I would have her try on more dresses, but being that we are pressed for time, I think that won't be necessary."

Raven ran her hands along the silky dress. "It fits so well."

"Actually, it still needs adjusting, please stand still." She instructed her.

Caroline quickly went around Raven, tugging at the dress and inserting pins left and right. She continued to circle her, like a moon orbiting a planet, scrutinizing her carefully with a critical eye. Two pins later and she was done.

"You can take it off now, and I'll run it over to our seamstress." She handed a package with a bra and panties to Starfire. "And have her put these on for the final fitting."

As Raven removed the dress, she saw the price tag: $4300.

Caroline quickly vanished and Starfire handed the now unwrapped undergarments to Raven, who quickly put them on. The bra was strapless too. The panties were lacy and very shear, they would be invisible under the dress.

"I guess I don't have any of these in my wardrobe … Starfire … that dress costs over four thousand dollars. I can't afford that."

The princess grinned. "I spoke with boyfriend Nightwing. At my request he transferred $10,000 to your account this morning."

"Ten grand? Where in the world did he get that kind of money?"

"I am uncertain of the details, I only know that he calls it the 'slush fund', that is a strange name, is it not? He says that Alfred sends him money every month and places it in the slush fund."

"OK, so now I'm debt to Dick."

Starfire smiled. "Do not worry my friend; he shares the wealth freely and without expecting repayment. But there is something else I wish to speak with you about."

"Which is?"

Starfire shuffled nervously on her feet. "Now that you will have the beautiful gown, you should contact Garfield and ask him to be your date tonight."

Raven gave Starfire a shocked look. "Are you crazy? I can't do that, not after I dared him to find a date, especially after he did find one. I would be giving him the upper hand."

Starfire frowned, her lips curled in anger.

"You are an idiot, Raven. You are going to stand by and do nothing while your boyfriend spends the evening at our most important event in the company of another woman?"

"First of all, he is not my boyfriend …"

"Be silent!" Starfire shouted at her. "I do not understand why you play this cruel game with your beloved, but if you continue with this nonsense you will lose him."

Raven scowled at Starfire. "What right do you have to judge me? And speaking of games, I recall two years ago that you and Dick had a big fight and broke up. After you played hard to get, he went back to Gotham on a "temporary" assignment and wound up in Barbara Gordon's bed. I'm surprised that you took him back, after all the big speeches you made when you found out that he cheated on you. So don't lecture me about playing games, Princess, you might not like the arrangement I have with Gar, but it works for us, so shut it!"

Starfire turned away from Raven, a tear dripping down her face.

"Yes, I know, I made a terrible mistake in driving Richard away from me and that I did it out of pride. Do you think that it was easy to reconcile with him? Do you think I endured no pain when I learned that my beloved was in another woman's bed?"

Raven expression changed. "Starfire, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that." She replied in a contrite voice. "But you have to respect how Gar and I interact … I'm serious when I say this, Starfire, but this arrangement works for us."

"If it works so well, Raven … why will he be with another woman tonight and not with you?"

Raven laughed, though there was a hint of uncertainty in it. "It's just a stupid date. He's posturing, trying to show me that he can find someone else. And I know he can … but it's no big deal. He's not going to fuck her, for Azar's sake. After she leaves tonight I'll take him back to my room and everything will be fine … you really worry too much, Starfire. It doesn't matter who he flirts with, because at the end of the day he'll be in my bed and not hers."

Starfire lowered her head and replied sotto voce. "I hope that you are right, my friend."

_**-( scene break )-**_

"Are you ready, Starfire? The Ball began half an hour ago."

Raven turned to look at herself in the full body length mirror in Starfire's room, where the two lady Titans convened to get ready for the party. She almost didn't recognize the woman who was staring back at her in the reflection. She couldn't believe that she looked so stunning.

"Oh, he's so gonna eat his heart out. He's gonna ditch whoever he's with as soon as he sees me … I almost feel sorry for her already."

"And what if he does not do the ditching? What if he takes her to his room?"

"Not. Going. To. Happen. Mark my words Starfire. He'll be putty in my hands."

Starfire finished apply her lipstick and gave herself a final inspection. "I am ready, let us now go and amaze our boyfriends."

"He's not my …"

"Yes, I know. He is your lover who is not your boyfriend and who will be with another woman tonight."

The two dolled up Titans made their way to the common and the sliding doors parted, revealing their striking figures. A few men stopped to look, at least until their own dates elbowed them, upon which they stopped gawking at the new arrivals and began the damage control with their dates. Raven strained her eyes as she scanned the room.

"Where is he, he can't be that hard to find. He is green." Raven muttered to herself.

"He is over there, in the far corner by the window." Starfire remarked.

Raven looked again and saw his green head bobbing into and out of view in the crowded room. She strained to see if she could see his date, but it was impossible from their vantage point.

"I guess we should go over there and say hi, come on Starfire, I want you to see the look on his face when he sees me."

They walked down the short stairs into the common room. At the bottom of the stairs they encountered a very handsome man with long dark hair. He was wearing a tuxedo, as were most of the men.

"Raven, Starfire, you ladies look stunning." Aqualad greeted them. "Can I get you a drink?" He said as motioned to the bar.

Raven felt her cheeks suddenly warm. Eight years later and she'd still get all girly whenever Garth was around, like if she was a fangirl or a bobbysoxer. He was just so damn handsome and suave. And sexy, as far as she was concerned he was the sexiest man in the room, if not the whole damn world.

"Maybe later … say, are you alone? Don't you have a date?" She asked.

He shook his head. "Nope, she got the flu and cancelled on me at the last minute, I almost didn't come, though I'm now glad that I did. Will you ladies save a dance for me?"

"I'd love to." Raven's voice squeaked as she continued blush under her makeup. Starfire gently nudged her in the ribs. "I'll … uh … see you around, Garth."

Starfire grabbed her by the elbow and pried her away from the Atlantean. "Have you forgotten why you are here?"

Raven smirked maliciously. "If Gar can flirt, so can I."

The two ladies continued to work their way through the crowd, exchanging greetings and accepting complements for their stunning attire. Raven noticed that most of the other lady Titans were wearing off the rack dresses. Apparently not everyone had access to Nightwing's slush fund.

After about 15 minutes of mingling they reached their destination and there he was, with his back to them. They couldn't see her face and they continued to stealthily approach. As they drew near he pulled her into a kiss. All they could see was her long blond hair. Her arms were wrapped around him and as they continued to kiss they strayed downward, until her hands found his butt, which they caressed while the kissing continued. Starfire turned to Raven, who now had a huge frown on her face.

Suddenly, they stopped kissing and the girl pulled back, finally revealing her face. She turned towards Raven and smiled. Raven's and Starfire's jaws almost hit the floor.

"No … nooooo … it can't be … she left, she disappeared." Raven moaned in a stunned voice.

"Terra?" Starfire croaked. "This is most … unexpected."

"Hey guys! It's great to see you again. So what's up?" Terra replied as she continued to caress the changeling's butt.

Raven lunged at her and shoved her away from the green Titan. "Keep your filthy hands off my boyfriend!"

In a deadpan voice the changeling remarked: "Since when am I your boyfriend?"

Raven snarled at him. "Don't get smart with me, it doesn't suit you."

He nodded his head. "That's right; I keep forgetting … I'm the stupid one."

The crowd around them began to laugh. The changeling raised his hand.

"OK listen up … how many of you have ever heard Raven swear that I'm not her boyfriend?"

A forest of arms popped up.

"OK, other than right now, who's ever heard Raven say that we're a couple?"

Every arm dropped.

Raven crossed her arms and still frowning she stepped in front of him.

"Very clever, Gar. I have to congratulate you, you outwitted me. You proved that are a couple. And Terra, wipe that stupid grin off your face. I now know that this date you're having is fake."

"Excuse me? If I proved anything, it's that we aren't a couple." He smiled. Starfire quietly stepped away, fighting back the tears that were trying to escape from her eyes.

"Not a couple!?" Raven shrieked. "What the hell are you talking about? You've been sleeping in my bed for five years!"

"And I recall you saying many times that doesn't prove that we're a couple."

Raven got face to face with him and whispered into his ear. "OK, I ate humble pie, you win. Will you please stop punishing me in front of our friends?"

"What do you want me to do?" He whispered back.

"Ditch Terra and we publicly announce that we are couple, right now"

"Sounds good, but it will have to wait until tomorrow."

"What?" She hissed at him. "Why?"

"Terra is my date, and a gentleman never ditches his date for another woman."

Raven balled her fists.

"I'm not 'another woman' … I'm practically your wife." She whispered back angrily.

"My wife? Was that a marriage proposal?"

Raven exploded and blasted him with her dark energy. The changeling crashed into a wall and slumped to the ground.

"Fuck you, Gar! Go fuck yourself!" Raven screamed. She turned around and the crowd quickly parted, leaving her a clear path to the door. She stomped out of the room, fighting back the tears.

Cyborg watched her leave, scratching his chin, mumbling to himself "Well played B, though maybe you overdid that last part."

The crowd's attention reverted to the changeling. No one noticed that Aqualad followed Raven out the door. Terra ran to his side.

"BB, are you OK?" She asked.

"Oww!" He groaned. "I'll live … I think I went too far. I need to go apologize to her."

Terra helped him to his feet. "She fell for it, big time. But I would let her cool off first, I've never seen her so pissed … it was so totally worth it."

"For you maybe, she didn't clobber you … Terra … thanks for helping, wait until I tell her that you have a husband. You know, I'm surprised he let you do this."

Terra giggled. "He hates Raven almost as much as I do. He's expecting a full play by play when I get home. You might want to approach cautiously, I'm not sure how she's gonna forgive you right away."

Terra helped the changeling to his feet. "Just don't tell your husband that you frenched me or grabbed my butt. It's bad enough that Raven's pissed with me, I don't need to add him to the 'I hate Garfield club' today."

Terra pecked him on the cheek. "Don't worry about it and BB …"

"Yeah?"

"You might be better off without her. I'm not just saying that, I'm serious. I mean … what kind of girl sleeps with you for five years and says publicly that you're not her boyfriend. This might be a good time to move on."

He shook his head. "I can't do that, I really do love her and I know she loves me too … I just wanted to teach her a lesson … I just hope I didn't go too far."

The hired DJ was sitting nervously at his station and Cyborg nodded at him. Even though it was early in the party, he started off with a slow dance. The choice was a wise one as the guests began to dance and the tension was quickly forgotten. Terra took the changeling's hand.

"How about one last dance before I go home?"

"For you Terra, anything."

They spent the next 20 minutes dancing. They didn't talk, but the changeling held his dear friend close to him the entire time. When the last slow song ended she released him, and kissed him chastely on the lips.

"We're moving to Gotham next month, I might never see you again, BB." She said as a tear dripped down her face. "Sam got a new job with Wayne Tech, it's a great opportunity for him. And I'm going to do my Masters degree at Gotham State, I got a scholarship."

"I'm sure you guys are going to be happy together." He replied. "And good luck with school."

"Good bye, best friend." She whimpered as she hugged him.

"Not anymore … your husband's your best friend now. But I'm more than happy to be your second best friend."

She nodded. "Maybe now's a good time to go check on her … good luck, BB."

"Thanks Terra, you too."

_**-( scene break )-**_

So, how do you think the reconciliation is going to go? Raven was pretty pissed off.

Also, I'll bet you never thought that the date was a decoy, or that it would be Terra (who is out of the picture now).

I will continue to work on A Bulls Eye On Her Back, I'm just taking a little break from it at the moment.


	3. A Fantasy and a Nightmare

Raven bolted down the hallway, no longer fighting back the tears which were now a veritable deluge. She reached the elevator but instead of summoning the lift she fell to her knees and sobbed.

"Gar … you asshole. I … hate you." She continued to cry.

She began to take deep breaths in an attempt to regain control of her emotions.

"That bastard … I was gonna do what he wanted … why did he have to humiliate me in front of everybody?" She muttered between deep breaths. She was so focused that she almost didn't hear the footsteps approaching. She might have been distraught but she was still a Titan, training nearly every day under Nightwing's watchful eye. In a single swift move she rose to her feet and turned around, balls of dark energy forming around her fists.

"Leave me alone, you piece of shit!"

Aqualad raised his hands in a submissive gesture.

"Whoa! I've been called lots of things, but that's a new one for me."

"Aqualad … I'm sorry … I thought you were someone else." She apologized in a weak, trailing off voice. She lowered her arms and the dark spheres faded away."

"You mean Changeling, right?"

She nodded as she wiped away her tears.

"Raven, are you OK?"

"Do I look like I'm OK?"

"No, you don't. That was pretty harsh, the way he treated you."

She sighed. "I'm sure that a lot of people in that room thought I had it coming ... and you know what? Maybe I did."

He took her hand and shook his head. "No, you didn't have that coming. He went out of his way to humiliate you. And what the hell was he doing with Terra anyway?"

Her body shook as she fought back the urge to cry. "He always liked her more than me." Her voice trembled.

"If he does, then he's an idiot."

She gave the Atlantean a weak smile. "Thanks." She snifled.

He extended his hand to her and she accepted it. He helped her to stand.

"If you want to go back, I'll go with you." He offered.

She shook her head. "Thanks, but no, I don't want to face them right now. Way too awkward."

He nodded. "I understand, you need to be alone." He remarked as he pressed the summoning button for the lift. "If it's any consolation, something like that happened to me once."

"Really?" She asked, the disbelief evident in her tone.

"Yeah, but you probably don't want to hear about that."

"Actually … I do … we could go talk in my room."

"Are you sure? I know that you like to meditate when you're unsettled. We could talk about it some other time."

Raven shook her head. "Actually, talking with you now would be … nice."

Raven led Aqualad to her room. After she opened the door he peered cautiously into its interior before following her in. She gestured with her hand and two dozen candles lit up. She sat down on the edge of her bed and motioned him to join her, which he did.

"Your room is really cozy."

"Most people think it's creepy, like me."

"Only those unfamiliar with magic. Did I tell you that Tula is also a sorceress?"

"Tula?"

He chuckled half heartedly. "Sorry, Tula is my ex."

"Oh … I see … duh, that was obvious." She reprimanded herself.

"Don't beat yourself up; you've already had a bad day."

"I suppose you're right … so … what happened with Tula? What was she like?"

Aqualad heaved a heavy sigh.

"Tula was incredible. She's beautiful, sexy, smart, strong and very brave. Now that I think of it, she's a lot like you, if you don't mind the comparison."

Raven smiled upon hearing his words. "No, I don't mind at all … please … continue."

He nodded his head. "Sure, anyway … we've known each other since we were kids. We were inseparable; we went to school together, played together, you know the drill. We became a couple just before I met you, you remember, when we fought Trident?"

"I could never forget the day I met you." She gushed.

He smiled sheepishly. "Me too … so anyway, things went great for us. That is, until Bumblebee invited us to join Titans East. Tula wasn't interested, but Aquaman told me to go ahead and join, that it would be good for fostering Atlantis/surface relations. Ever since he joined the Justice League that's been a big deal for him."

"So you joined Titans East. Is that when she dumped you?"

He shook his head. "No … though I wish it had been then, it would have been easier. We continued a long distance relationship. I'd visit Atlantis once a month, if just for a day. We'd spend time together, you know … doing couple stuff."

"Were you … you know … physically intimate with her?"

He blushed at her question. She quickly backpedaled. "Sorry, that's really personal."

"It's OK … we were intimate … Tula was an incredible lover … she was intoxicating … which is what made her betrayal so painful."

"Betrayal?" Raven asked wide eyed.

"Yeah … betrayal … in that way she's not like you … anyway, Aquaman held a banquet in honor of a friend of mine … his name is Kaldur'ahm. We were best friends. So, since I was with Titans East, Aquaman granted Kaldur the title of Aqualad … so there were now two Aqualads, one in Steele City and one in Atlantis. It was at that banquet that Tula announced that she was with Kaldur."

"She dumped you in front of everyone." Raven said breathlessly.

"It's worse … I later found out that she was cheating on me for months before she dumped me. Kaldur'ahm later apologized to me, he claimed didn't know that we were still together."

"And he stayed with her, knowing that she cheated on you?"

He sighed again. "Like I mentioned before, she is intoxicating. I've wondered if she used spells on us."

"Garth, I'm so sorry. Why didn't you ever tell us?"

"Because I was embarrassed … anyway … I'm glad it's over and I've put it behind me. But you know what I would really like Raven … I'd like to know someone like you."

Raven cupped his face with her palm. "You do know someone like me."

They gazed into each other's eyes and time seemed to come to a halt.

"Raven, are you sure …"

He couldn't finish his sentence as she moved her hand behind his head and pulled him into a kiss.

Unseen to the Atlantean, Nevermore erupted into an explosion of joy. Raven couldn't believe what she had done. She was kissing her unobtainable crush! Suddenly aware of what she had just done, she released him and pulled away.

"I'm sorry Garth, that was very inconsiderate of me."

"No … don't apologize … that was very nice."

Feeling suddenly emboldened, Raven hopped onto his lap and they resumed their make out session. Raven's heart was pounding from the thrill. She was kissing Aqualad. Their tongues played with each other and their hands began to wander, their touch becoming more and more intimate. Her heart was pounding when he suddenly stopped.

"Garth, what's wrong?" She asked breathlessly. "Is it something I did?"

"No … I was just wondering … you know … about Changeling."

Raven stared into his eyes. "You heard what he said, we're not a couple."

"I'm not sure he really meant that." He replied. "I think he was just angry with you."

"I think he did mean it… Garth … have you had other lovers since Tula?"

He gulped. "A few, but it's been a long time."

Raven stared into his dark eyes, pulling him into her own. They were the most intense eyes he had ever seen, he felt lost in their indigo color. They were mesmerizing.

"Garth, I've been in love with you since the day I met you."

"Raven, I'd be lying if I said I don't find you unbelievably attractive."

"I … I want us to be more than just friends." She stammered.

"Me too … so … what do we do next?"

"I don't know, why don't we just see what happens?"

"What would you like to happen?" he asked.

Raven spun around, exposing her back to him.

"Would you please undo my zipper?"

He complied without saying a word. She slipped off her dress and headed for her closet. Her slender figure became a silhouette as she walked in front of her window.

"This is the first and probably only four thousand dollar dress I'll ever own … I need to put it away … but don't worry lover, I'll be right back."

Raven vanished into her walk in closet and Aqualad heard her rummaging through it. He heard a hanger scraping on the rack and she reemerged from the closet, wearing only her panties. She stopped in front of him.

"Raven … you look beautiful." He gasped.

"And you look overdressed. Let me take care of that."

Raven began to undress the still Tuxedo clad Atlantean, starting with his coat, then removed his tie and then his shirt. She kneeled and removed his shoes and socks. She stood back up and undid his trousers, which fell to the floor, leaving him wearing just a pair of boxers.

The two could literally feel the electricity in the air. Garth's breathing became deep and slow. His boxers were unable to conceal his arousal. Raven stood still before him, her pale breasts reflecting the amber glow of the candles.

"Raven, I've dreamed about this … but" He said in a wary voice. "it's not too late to stop."

Raven paused as she considered his words. He had a point, but she also realized that she would probably never get another chance with him.

"Why would I want to stop?"

"Are you sure that you're through with Garfield? Really sure? … Don't get me wrong, I want to throw you into this bed and make love with you … but I don't want you to do anything you'll regret later."

A movie played in fast forward mode in her mind. She remembered meeting Beast Boy when Starfire was wrecking the city, when she came to his aid when a Gordanian injured him, when she healed his leg after their first fight with Hive. When he consoled her after Malchior broke her heart, when he became the Beast to protect her, when he hugged her after she defeated Trigon. She saw him grow from the impish teenager he once was into the man he was today in a matter of seconds.

The movie was full of many happy memories: the first time they kissed, when he told her that he loved her, the first time they made love.

Unfortunately, the movie ended in the Ballroom, when she slammed him into the wall. Suddenly, all of the happy memories vanished; evaporating like a glass of water that crashed onto a hot sidewalk during a heat wave, and all that remained after the water was gone was the unhappy memory in the Ballroom, the broken shards of the glass.

And right now she was standing, half naked, in front of the god she only dared dream about. She was no longer the creepy witch; the bitchy demoness, she was now a beautiful woman, a woman that the god had deemed worthy of his love. He made her beautiful, desirable and sensual, exorcising all of the traits that made her who she really was. And he wanted her just as much as she wanted him. Yes, it was wrong, so very wrong. But her life had been one of hardship and suffering, surely she deserved this adventure. And it wasn't a wanton fling, one done out of mere selfish and animalistic desire, it was with him. The god.

She knew in her heart that Gar didn't mean it when he said they weren't a couple. He said that only out of anger and hurt, which she caused with her years of neglect and disrespect to him. But she wanted this so much, so very much. It would be a onetime event. Garth would go back to Steele City and forget about her. It really wasn't that much to ask for, was it?

She would reconcile with Gar tomorrow. Their relationship would change and she would change, all for the better. She knew they were meant to be together and that she did love him. Did it really matter if she indulged, just once in her entire life, in an illicit fantasy? Yes, she was cheating on the man who for five long years had put up with her bullshit. But he would never know. And what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him, right?

Raven tugged at her panties, which fell to her ankles.

"I have no regrets." She said before wrapping her arms around Aqualad and kissing him.

_**-( scene break )-**_

Terra waved goodbye as the elevator doors closed and she was whisked away to the garage level where her car was parked. The changeling drummed his fingers impatiently on the wall as he waited for the elevator to return. Just as it arrived and the doors opened with the ubiquitous chime he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Starfire.

"Friend, allow me to come with you."

He looked away with a troubled look on his face.

"It's my clusterfuck, Star, I need to fix it myself."

"No, it is also Raven's … what you just said. This is not a mistake that just happened, Garfield. This is the culmination of 5 years of mistakes. And many of those mistakes were Raven's mistakes. I will come with you to remind her that you are both at fault for what happened here."

The changeling patted the alien on her arm. "Star, if everyone had a friend as good as you are, the world would be a better place."

The two friends rode the elevator up to the habitat level, and proceeded straight to Raven's room. He was about to knock when his ears twitched.

"Star, can you hear anything?"

"No, my sense of hearing is not as sensitive as yours. What is that you are hearing?"

"I thought I heard heavy breathing … and grunting."

He pressed his ear to the door. His eyes grew wide in dismay.

"She isn't in there alone!"

"Is there an intruder in her room?"

He ignored her question and quickly entered the room's passcode on the keypad next to the door, which slid open. He barged in with Starfire, who covered her mouth with both her hands to keep herself from shrieking at the sight before her.

Aqualad was kneeling on the bed, naked, leaning forward and resting on his hands, with his back to the door. She could only see Raven's legs, which were spread eagle, as he was practically lying on top of her. Starfire knew the position well, as it was her favorite when she made love with Nightwing. It was known as the "missionary position".

Unlike Starfire, Garfield did not censor himself.

"RAVEN! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" He screamed at the top of his lungs.

The sorceress lifted herself by her elbows and peeked around Garth's torso, with a horrified look on her face. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. Her mind began to race, searching in vain for something to say, but there was nothing she could tell him. Finally, she was able to regurgitate those often used, but in this sad case, very futile words.

"Gar, I'm so sorry."

He stood still, and his body began to tremble in anger. Starfire stood behind him, and was weeping. Garth unmounted himself and turned to face their unexpected visitors with a shocked look on his face.

Garfield's face became very grim and he balled his fists as he spoke in a deep, guttural monotone.

"We're through, Raven, finished. I don't ever want to see you again."

He did an about face and marched out the door. Starfire, who was now bawling followed him out into the hallway.

Raven, leaped out of the bed and hastily slipped one of her leotards on, before bolting for the door.

"Raven! You said …" Garth began.

"SHUT UP!" She screamed at him, before disappearing into the hallway.

Aqualad cradled his head in his hands.

"Oh Neptune … what have I done?"

_**-( scene break )-**_

If you could name this chapter, what name would you give it?


	4. Too late to say she's sorry

Raven, still in her bare feet and with the rear zipper on her leotard undone, slid to a halt on the hallway's polished marble floor. Changeling and Starfire were nowhere to be seen, but she had a good idea of where to look first.

_Oh shit, oh shit_

She resumed running down the hallway.

_What am I going to do? Oh sweet Azar, please help me._

She quickly reached his door which still had the words "Beast Boy" stenciled on it. She punched the open button and the door slid open, and with her heart in her throat she took in gut wrenching scene.

Starfire was sitting on the edge of his bed and he was kneeling at her feet, his head in her lap, weeping profusely while she ran her fingers through his hair in a vain attempt to soothe the distraught Titan. The intensity of his grief hit Raven like a wrecking ball and her legs almost gave out from under her. As she regained her balance she locked eyes with Starfire, who looked up from the changeling when the door opened.

The Tamaranian's green eyes lacked their usual sparkle, and seemed dead and devoid of life. They continued to stare at each other until Starfire broke the silence.

"Why?" The princess whispered. "Why did you do this to your beloved?"

Raven fell to her knees, burying her face in hands. Without raising his head, and still sobbing, the changeling addressed her.

"Get out of my room, Raven. You aren't welcome here."

She stood back up, extending her arms in a pleading gesture.

"Gar, please, please forgive me. I … I was an idiot." She stammered.

He leaped to his feet, his eyes were bloodshot and his entire body was trembling as he restrained his fury and replied with a feral growl in his voice.

"You've treated me like crap; you dumped on me like I was toilet, for five long years. And I put up with it, like a chump, hoping that someday you would change. And I never cheated on you … and let me tell you something, Raven, I had plenty of chances to cheat, with some real babes too, but I didn't. It was out of the question, I wouldn't even consider it."

He paused as he approached her, stopping when they were face to face.

"But the one time I pushed back and gave you a taste of your own medicine, what did you do? You cheated on me, right here, in our home, in our bed."

"I know I made a mistake." She whimpered.

"A mistake!? You call that a mistake? The only mistake you made was fucking him in our room! You weren't expecting me to come, were you? Do you know why I came to see you!?"

He stopped as he struggled to not sob again. He raised his fist and it trembled as his face contorted from the pain he was feeling.

"I CAME BACK TO TELL YOU I WAS SORRY! That the whole date was a setup, that there's nothing going on between me and Terra, that she only pretended to be my date to make you jealous!"

She hung her head.

"Garfield … I know I betrayed you …"

"I know, I'm not good enough for you RAven, you've made the pretty clear these past five years …"

"No, it wasn't like that …"

"THEN WHAT WAS IT LIKE!? Did he seduce you and you couldn't resist him?"

"No." She replied meekly.

"THEN WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED!? Were you drunk and you thought he was me?" He asked in heavily sarcastic tone. "Or did you both trip, fall out of your clothes and his dick just happened to find its way in?"

She didn't reply, and stared at the floor while fighting back the tears.

"Well?"

"There's no excuse for what I did … "

"You got that right … I feel like such an idiot! I gave you my heart and you stomped it into the ground."

"Please forgive me, I promise … I'll change, I will, I swear by Azar herself. I'll never cheat again."

"It's too late Raven, now, get the hell out of my room. Go back and finish fucking Garth … I hope it was good for you."

Raven dropped to the floor and prostrated herself before him, her forehead touching the floor.

"I know there's no excuse for what I did … but I beg you, please forgive me. It'll never happen again."

He sat back down on the edge of his bed and groaned, rubbing his forehead with his hand while Starfire began to caress his shoulder.

"It'll happen again. Raven … you cheated because you're unhappy with me. That's not going to change."

"No … I cheated because I was angry with you."

"Raven, I'm not going to let you treat me like garbage anymore … you're going to be angry with me … a lot. It's who you are."

"No, I won't, I promise … I swear I'll change."

"Don't make promises you can't keep … Raven … get it through your head, it's over … what you did to me … I can forgive you being cruel, arrogant and proud … but this … this I can't forgive. I'll never be able to trust you again. And if I can't trust you, how can we be together? Now for the last time … get the hell the hell out of my room … and don't come back."

_**-( scene break )-**_

Nightwing and Bumblebee watched Beast Boy and Starfire disappear into the elevator.

"Dick, what's going on? Where are they going?"

"Probably to see Raven." He sighed. "You know what Karen? I'm getting sick and tired of this circus." He said as he recalled the elevator. "I'm going to tell them that if they can't behave like normal people, then they need to take it somewhere else. They ruined the Ball with their stupid games and fighting."

Bumblebee nodded her agreement and joined him in the elevator, which began its ascent to the habitat level. The doors opened, revealing the long hallway where their bedrooms were located. Raven's room was closest to the elevator, then Starfire's, then Changeling's. Terra's old room was next, followed by Robin's room and Cyborg's, which was at the far end of the hall.

Just as the lift's doors opened, they saw Raven run out of her room, barefoot and with her leotard unzipped and watched her make a beeline to Garfield's room, which she quickly entered. Within moments they heard the changeling's voice shouting in an angry tone, though they couldn't make out what he was saying as his door was closed.

"They're fighting again … that does it! I'm sick and tired of their bullshit. This is going to stop now." Nightwing seethed.

As they stepped off the elevator they saw Aqualad emerge from Raven's room, wearing only his boxers. They both froze in their steps.

"Good Gotham!" Nightwing muttered.

Karen also added up two plus two and stormed out of the elevator. In a swift motion she slammed Aqualad against a wall, pressing her forearm against his throat.

"Tell me that you didn't." She growled at him.

"It isn't what you think." He croaked.

"Then tell us what happened." Nightwing snapped at him.

"It was Raven's idea."

"Garth, don't lie to me." Bumblebee seethed as she slammed into the wall a second time.

"I'm not lying … she invited me into her room … she kissed me and told me that she loved me … and then she took her clothes off … she even undressed me."

"Liar!" Dick shouted.

Karen's jaw was trembling with fury. "Tell me that you didn't touch her, you slime bag, or so help me ..."

"I asked her if she was still with BB and she said no. I even told that it wasn't too late to stop, that I didn't want her to do anything she might regret."

"What did she say?" Nightwing asked.

"She said that she had no regrets."

"Then why did we just see her run to Garfield's room?"

Garth lowered his head and replied sotto voce. "He caught us in the act."

"The act?" Nightwing asked. "You mean that you were..."

"We were fucking, what do you think we were doing? He was furious … and he told Raven that they he was through with her and that he never wanted to see her again … she freaked out, got half dressed and ran after him."

Nightwing slapped his forehead. "Garth … what were you thinking? Everyone knows they fight and make up all the time."

"I know … but, she was different, she seemed to be so cold to him and … she really wanted me."

"She wasn't herself you idiot! Why the hell didn't you walk away!?" Bumblebee shrieked. "Do you think that just because you're the pretty boy that you're entitled to any lady Titan that you want?"

"Do you have any idea of what you just did?" Nightwing added. "You've probably wrecked their relationship, permanently."

"If she wanted me that bad, then maybe they didn't have such a great relationship … you saw what he did to her in the ballroom!"

Karen punched Aqualad in the face.

"Dammit, bee, what was that for?" He moaned in pain as his nose, which was now broken, began to bleed. She turned to Nightwing.

"Go take care of your teammates; I'm going to take care of mine."

Nightwing nodded and ran down to Garfield's room muttering to himself "Does this kind of crap happen to the Justice League?"

Bumblebee gritted her teeth at the Atlantean. "You fucking idiot."

"Look, I'm sorry, OK? It's not like I wanted this to happen."

"Bullshit! Let me guess … you followed her into the hallway, you consoled her and told her about Tula and that you just wanted to talk. When she invited you into her room you didn't suggest that you go out for coffee instead … you think I don't know you Garth … but I do. You saw an opportunity and you jumped on it, not caring about the aftermath, the wake of destruction you leave behind."

"He wasn't supposed to know … it was a fling, Karen, you know, like the one you had with …"

"Don't make me break your arm!" She hissed.

"Geez, I said I was sorry."

Karen released him and he nursed his broken nose.

"Listen to me, because I'm only gonna tell you this one. You are going to get dressed as fast as you can, take your part of the T-Ship and get the hell out of here before Garfield turns into the Beast and rips your head off. You will wait at the Tower back home until I return."

He wiped the blood from his face. "So, I'm in big trouble, right?"

"Honey … your ass is grass."

_**-( scene break )-**_

Nightwing opened the door to Garfield's room. The scene before him was one he wouldn't forget for a long time. Garfield looked like a wreck. His face was contorted in fury as he glared at Raven, he looked like he wanted to kill her. Raven looked destroyed, she was paler than usual and like the changeling her eyes were bloodshot from crying. He walked in as the changeling was addressing her in a cold, emotionless monotone.

"…And if I can't trust you, how can we be together? Now for the last time … get the hell the hell out of my room … and don't come back."

"Garfield …" She whimpered.

Nightwing stepped up behind the sorceress and place a hand on her shoulder.

"Raven, this isn't the time … go back to your room and wait for me there." He ordered her in a calm and soft voice.

"But Dick …"

"Go … you'll only make things worse if you stay here."

"I don't see how I could possibly do that now." She whispered back to him.

"Believe me; it can always get worse, now go."

Raven looked one last time at Changeling, who bared his fangs at her. As she turned to leave, she covered her face with her hands and ran out the door, which slid shut behind her.

Nightwing heaved a heavy sigh as he approached the changeling, gesturing him to sit down on the edge of his bed, where Starfire was still sitting. He complied and Nightwing sat down next to him. The three Titans sat together in silence, until Nightwing finally spoke up.

"I know right now it feels like the end of the world, Gar, but you'll recover."

"Recover? How? She ripped my heart out! Who recovers from that?"

"I did." Starfire replied in a meek voice.

Changeling shook his head. "I know that you went through hell, but that wasn't the same, no way. You guys broke up, so Dick didn't cheat on you, Star."

Nightwing frowned as he stared at the floor.

"Gar, we had a fight and harsh words were exchanged. But, we learned something in the process … soul mates don't "break up" and we learned that the hard and painful way … when I had my fling with Babs I knew deep in my heart that I was cheating on Star … it didn't matter what our official status was. Sure I was angry with her, even furious and she was upset with me too. So we announced that we weren't a couple anymore. But we were lying, to our friends and to ourselves."

"Raven isn't my soul mate. She never was."

"I felt the same when I learned of Richard's infidelity." Starfire replied in a sad tone. "I also felt that I would never be able to forgive him."

"You didn't walk in on him when he was with Barb."

"No, I did not. But why do you think I shed the tears when I saw the unfortunate scene with you?"

"Unfortunate? You make it sound like it was an accident?"

Starfire looked away from him, her face consumed with sadness. "I believe that you Earthlings call it the train wreck"

Garfield shook his head while he fought back the tears. "I know you guys mean well, but right now I can't even stand to look at her. How am I supposed to forgive her?"

Nightwing wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "Right now, you don't forgive her. You need to grieve over what happened and come to terms with it. That's gonna take time, a lot of time. Gar, I want you to take a leave of absence."

"A leave of absence? And just what am I supposed to do?"

"I think you should go back to the Doom Patrol. They're your other family. Stay with them as long as you need, and when you're ready, come back."

The changeling nodded his agreement. "Yeah, you're right … I'll start packing."

"Good, the sooner you're out of here the better." He said as he stood up.

"Where are you going?" The changeling asked.

"To see Raven … before she does something stupid, like hang herself."

_**-( scene break )-**_

Raven ran out of the changeling's room with her face still buried in her hands. Blinded by them and her tears she didn't see Bumblebee and ran into her. The winged Titan caught Raven with her arms.

"Whoa, girl!"

Raven took one look at her and resumed her crying.

"Come on Raven; let's go to your room."

Karen wrapped an arm around the adulterous Titan and they slowly walked back to her room. There was no sign of Aqualad or his clothes. Raven's panties were still lying on the floor and the bed was unmade, screaming its witness to the catastrophe that had just occurred. Raven looked away from her bed as her body began to shake.

"Calm down, girl. You sit down while I take care of that."

Karen sat Raven down on a chair. When the sorceress was finally able to open her eyes the bed was made and her undergarments were gone.

"I'll never be able to sleep in that bed again."

"You'll survive Raven, you'll recover from this."

"I just lost the only man who ever loved me, forever. How do I recover from that?"

"Forever is a long time Raven. Don't be so pessimistic."

Raven shook her head. "You didn't hear what he said, Karen. He hates me; he can't stand the sight of me. He probably wishes I was dead."

"What do you expect, girl? You just stabbed him in the heart. You hurt him, you hurt him real bad."

"So … you know whappened?" Raven asked in an anxious tone.

"Aqualad told me everything."

Raven raised her head and scanned her room. "Where is he?"

"I sent him home, after I broke his nose."

Raven took Karen's hand in her own.

"Do you really thing Gar will forgive me?"

Bumblebee sighed. "Girl, you really did it this time. You know, the way you've been treating him was already grounds for divorce, but the fact that he stuck with you through all that … yeah … there's hope … he might forgive you. But you're gonna have to be patient."

"How patient? How long will it take him to forgive me?"

"That's up to you."

"Up to me? I don't understand."

"Honey, if you really want to win your man back, you'd better pucker up, cuz you're gonna be kissing his ass a lot, and for a long time."

Raven frowned. "I'm not good at that."

"You mean you're too proud."

"I guess I am."

"Do you want him back or not?"

"I know, I know … it's just going to be so hard … and what if he doesn't forgive me?"

"Then you start over. There's more than one fish in the sea."

"I … I don't want to start over. I want my Gar back." She whimpered.

"You should have thought of that before you made the two backed monster with Garth … honey … what the hell were you thinking?"

"I wasn't thinking. I was angry with Gar, really angry … and Garth … Karen … had it been anyone other than him … nothing would have happened."

"I don't think that'll make Garfield feel any better." Nightwing interjected as he entered the room.

Raven looked away from him. "Go ahead … yell at me … I deserve it."

Nightwing sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Yelling won't accomplish anything … Raven … I know what you're thinking, that all hope is lost … look … I was in the same boat once … you're gonna have to be patient … it also won't hurt if you pray to Azar or whoever it is you consider your higher power."

"Karen already told me that."

"Goo, now I have some short term bad news … Garfield is going back to the Doom Patrol."

"Nooo!"

"Yes. Raven, he needs to get away and go to a "safe place". Mento and Elastigirl are his adoptive parents. They'll support him while he processes everything that happened, and that might take some time … months … maybe even a year or more."

"Dick … why them? They hate my guts, they never liked me."

"And right now he needs that. He needs to work through his anger Raven and he needs someone to tell him that it's OK to be angry with you, Steve and Rita are those people. But that will pass and I asked him to return when he isn't angry anymore. What happens after that will be up to you."

"You mean I'll have to kiss his butt." She replied as she glanced at Karen.

"Pretty much, you're gonna have to convince him that you're a new woman. And that means the stupid games you play with him are over. One slip and you can kiss him goodbye. You need him to understand that you respect him and are now 100% faithful to him. And one more thing Raven …"

"Yes?"

"You're right, Steve and Rita do hate your guts, they've watched you jerk him around for five years, so you're gonna have to win them over too … I'm not going to sugarcoat this …"

He paused, weighing his next words carefully.

"I can say this from personal experience … this is going to be the hardest thing you've ever done."

_**-( scene break )-**_

So, do you think Bumblebee let Aqualad off the hook to easily.


	5. Welcome home and a surprise

Changeling sat in the copilot's seat of the Doom Patrol Jet as it streaked away from Titans Tower. Robotman was at the controls and he banked the jet to set course for Dayton Manor, located in Long Island at the opposite end of the country. For a brief moment Gar could see the Tower's rooftop and the figures of his three friends who bid him farewell.

Of all the Titans, other than the Chromatically Challenged ex-Couple, Cyborg was the one most shaken by the turn of events. Garfield replayed in his mind the visit the Tin Man made to his room the night before while he was packing his suitcases. It began with that unmistakable rap on the door, the sound of metal knuckles making contact on his steel door:

"Come in, Cy."

The cybernetic Titan had a troubled look on his face when he entered the changeling's abode.

"Yo, B."

"I guess you heard the news." The changeling replied in a forlorn voice.

Cyborg hesitated before replying. "I'm sorry man, I'm sorry about everything I said."

"Why? You were right about her. She cheated on me … she's probably been cheating on me for years."

Cyborg sat down on the edge of the bed, which creaked under his massive weight.

"No, B … I was wrong about that. I didn't know what I was talking about. I was shooting my mouth off. She never cheated on you."

The changeling stopped packing his suitcase.

"I caught her red handed. You weren't wrong."

"Listen, I'm not trying to make any excuses for her, but …"

"THEN DON'T!" He snapped.

The tin man flinched. "Look, what I'm trying to say is that maybe you should consider forgiving her."

He gave his friend an incredulous look. "Are you saying that I should just pretend this didn't happen, and just go back to being her henpecked boyfriend?"

Cyborg shook his head. "No, that's not what I mean."

"Then what the hell do you mean!?"

"I'm saying forgive her. It happened in a moment of weakness …"

"NO! You listen to me Tin Man! Remember when we had that mission in Japan last year? When the mayor of Tokyo invited us to come back to help deal with organized crime?"

"I do … that was a tough mission, except for all those fangirls who mobbed you at the end, just like last time. I remember that they really pissed Raven off."

"They did more than piss her off … Cy … many of them offered me no strings attached sex … sure, the fan girls were easy to ignore, I mean, heck they were just kids, jailbait and tell me about how low the age of consent is in Japan. But do you remember Detective Katsumoto?"

"You mean that gal you worked with undercover with in Osaka? Oh, I remember her, heh heh, so does Raven . She was a babe, wasn't she? Most Japanese girls are a little weak when it comes to the curves, but she had a nice ass. Pretty face too."

"I see you remember her. Do you remember that I was with her solo for five days?"

"Now that you mention it, yeah, I do. You guys were spying on some Yakuza creeps."

"We were, and there was a lot of idle time between the actual spying. We were holed up in a hotel while we weren't on the job. On the first day, out of the blue, while we were killing time at the hotel, she asked me if I wanted a roll in the hay, just like that. She swore she wouldn't tell anyone, that it would jeopardize her career if she was found out."

"She did? BB, you lucky dog … she was sweet. So was she good? Oh man, to do it with a hot Japanese girl, that's the ticket."

"Cyborg … I turned her down."

"You did what?"

"You heard me, I didn't fool around with her."

"But Raven would never have known."

"Maybe, but I would have known."

Cyborg pursed his lips before replying. "OK, I see your point … but I have one too."

"Which is?"

"Aqualad. Look man, you really let her have it at the Ball. You humiliated her, even after she gave in to your demands. She was hurt and vulnerable. And Aqualad is a scumbag; he knows that Raven's had a crush on him for a long time. He took advantage of her moment of weakness."

"I don't care. She didn't have to give in, and I told her that we would announce that we were official, just not that night."

"You're right; she didn't have to give in. She fucked up, big time, and she knows it."

"So what am I supposed to do about that?"

"Before you take off to see your folks, you could forgive her and be her friend again."

He shook his head. "That's asking for a lot."

"B, don't kid yourself, you still love her."

"That doesn't change anything."

"You're wrong, it changes everything. She's so sorry about what she did, that if you asked her to cut off her right arm and give it to you, she would."

"I don't want her to cut her arm off."

"Then what do you want?"

"I want a way to undo what happened, to erase it, so that it never would have happened!"

"We all want that, especially Raven does. But it happened B, it can't be undone. History is carved in stone."

The changeling frowned. "So I'm just supposed to forgive her and let her off the hook, just like that?"

Cyborg placed a hand on his green friend's shoulder.

"No, you aren't letting her off the hook. That mistake she made, it's gonna haunt her for the rest of her life, even if you forgive her and take her back. She'll never forget it and always hate herself for making it. But there is someone else you'll be letting of the hook if you forgive her, and do you know who that is?"

The changeling shrugged his shoulders. "If not Raven, then who?"

"You … can't you see? You've trapped yourself in a prison of your own making … and before you say anything, I'm not saying that you just take her back. She's gonna have to earn that, big time."

The changeling leaned on his desk and dropped his head.

"Cy … I … I don't know."

"Look man, if you don't forgive her before you leave … you're gonna regret it. Trust me."

Garfield was suddenly summoned back to the present by a shove on his shoulder. His room in the Tower vanished and he was back in the jet's cockpit.

"Garfield? Are you OK, kid?" Robotman spoke. "You look like you spaced out.

The changeling turned to face the jet's pilot. "Sorry Cliff, I was just … remembering."

"That was a tough break kid, but it happens. But don't give up, just because you had a bad dame doesn't mean they're all bad. Your natural parents were a good couple, and so are Steve and Rita. And let me tell you, Steve had his share of bitches, he almost gave up on the ladies until he found Rita."

"He did?"

"You bet. I didn't help that he was rich. He dated all these gold diggers who told him that they loved him. But Steve wasn't a chump; he hired detectives to learn more about his ladies. And you know what? It never failed; those bitches all had boyfriends they were scamming with to rip off Steve. So don't feel bad about the witch. At least you found out the truth before it was too late."

The green man sighed.

"Cyborg told me that if I didn't forgive her before I left, that I would regret it."

"He said that, huh? Let me tell you something Gar, some dames, they're nothing but trouble and don't deserve a second chance, I can tell you that from personal experience … so … did you forgive her?"

Garfield shook his head. "Absolutely not."

"I see … so, how do you feel about that?"

The changeling appeared lost in thought as he stared out the jet's windshield, watching the clouds below slip by.

"Well?" Robotman prodded him.

Changeling turned to his teammate and friend. In an emotionless monotone he replied: "I have no regrets."

_**-( scene break )-**_

Hidden in the shadows of the rooftop stairwell, Raven watched as Garfield said his goodbyes to Nightwing, Starfire and Cyborg. She wanted to run out to the landing platform and beg him to not leave, but she knew it was pointless and instead she watched anonymously from a distance.

Tears dripped down her face as the Doom Patrol jet fired up its engines and took off, taking him away, possibly forever. She turned away, unable to watch it leave as she felt a knot form in her stomach. Her blunder wasn't going to ever go away, ever. The knot in her stomach grew and she was consumed by a sense of of overwhelming despair. It was then that an image formed in her mind. There was a large group of boulders on the Tower's south side. It was where the volleyball fell the day that Terra allegedly returned from the self imposed quest she went on to master her skills.

Those rocks were still down there, almost 300 ft below the Tower's roof. Some were razor sharp, but what was obvious began to fill her mind with dark and dangerous thoughts. All she had to do was step off the rooftop's ledge and allow gravity to do its thing. Her neck would no doubt snap upon hitting the rocks and she would feel pain no more. Her mistake wouldn't matter anymore and better yet, he would be happy.

"Raven?"

The sorceress snapped out of her suicidal thoughts.

"Yes, Starfire?"

The princess had been able to approach her without being noticed and was standing right next to her.

"Your beloved will return, Raven, and he will forgive you."

Raven closed her eyes and frowned. "I thought that I was the one who had a crystal ball. Since when can you predict the future?"

"He has not stopped loving you."

"He sure could have fooled me."

"He is hurt and angry, Raven. Infidelity, especially sexual infidelity, it harms the soul."

"Yes, I know Starfire, Dick cheated on you and you were eventually able to forgive him. Maybe you should be talking to Gar and not to me."

The princess shook her head dismissively. "No Raven, you do not understand. It also harmed your soul. Unlike you I am not am empath, but I sense your grief and remorse."

Raven choked back a sob. "You're right … Starfire … "

"Yes, Raven?"

"The pain, it's so … it hurts so much, I can't handle it … I … I was just thinking about killing myself." She replied between sobs.

Starfire wrapped her arms around her friend. "Raven, it is true, you have injured your beloved's heart, but if you murder yourself he will be devastated. You must erase such evil thoughts from your mind. There is hope, Raven, do not give up."

Raven returned her hug. "I feel so filthy. I defiled myself. I behaved like a whore. I had sex with a man I don't really love."

"You were manipulated, Raven. Aqualad, he preyed upon your weakness. He knew of your crush on him. He is so charming and handsome … when Richard and I were separated; had he approached me I would have made the same mistake you did. Bumblebee is going to punish him."

Raven released Starfire from her embrace.

"I don't care how handsome Garth is, there's no excuse for what I did."

"Not an excuse, Raven, but a reason. But be patient, once Garfield has done the healing he will return and you will be able to do the reconciliation."

Raven fought back her tears as she watched the jet disappear over the horizon.

"I wish I could go back in time and stop this from ever happening in the first place."

Starfire sighed. "I understand what you are saying. But you remember that Warp said, that the past cannot be changed."

"Yes, I remember you telling us that …"

Raven suddenly became very animated. "But he used technology to travel through time. What if I used magic to do that? That would be different, perhaps there wouldn't be such constraints, and maybe I could stop myself from betraying him."

"Is that possible, Raven? Can you really do that? I know that you once retrieved Cyborg from the past, but can you send yourself back?"

"I don't know, I've never seen any such spells, not even when Malchior trained me. That doesn't mean they don't exist though." She said as she became even more animated.

"Raven, even if it is possible to travel through time using magic … is it safe to change the past? Might it not cause unintended harm?"

Raven didn't hear her friend, instead she was smiling. "Why didn't I think of that? I'm a sorceress for Azar's sake! I'll start my research right away!"

Raven grabbed the Tamaranian by the shoulders and kissed her. "Starfire, you're a genius! I love you!"

The sorceress, who was still smiling, phased into the floor and disappeared.

_**-( scene break )-**_

The familiar missile shaped jet made its appearance over the Hamptons, flying over the mansions that populated the world famous neighborhood. Standing in the middle, dwarfing the other estates with its sheer size, majesty and opulence was Dayton Manor.

"Wake up kid, we're home!" Cliff barked at the changeling, who woke from his nap with a jerk.

Gar looked out the cockpit window as Robotman brought the ship down to the landing pad that had the Doom Patrol's logo painted on it. Thrusters fired to slow the descent and the mighty jet touched down with hardly a bump. The engines powered down and as the jet's passenger ramp lowered and he saw Steve and Rita, dressed in civilian clothes, walk out to meet them.

"I'm home." He muttered to himself. He had not been back to the Doom Patrol's HQ since joining the Titans. He once swore to never set foot again in the manor, the day he quit the Doom Patrol, but now happy memories came swarming back.

"C'mon kid, they're waiting for you."

"Oh, yeah … sure." He replied as he unbuckled himself from the military styled chair he was sitting in.

He cautiously walked down the ramp. They were waiting for him at the bottom, beaming happily. Steve had an arm wrapped around Rita's shoulder and they both looked happy and relaxed. Ever since the Brotherhood of Evil had been captured the Doom Patrol had gone into semi retirement. They would occasionally be summoned by the United Nations for an occasional mision, so the team was not disbanded, but now life was no longer a never ending chase for them. Rita pulled away from Steve and ran to her adoptive son. They embraced and exchanged kisses.

"My poor boy, that witch, she broke your heart."

"Mom, I'm a man now and about Raven, I just want to forget about her." He replied.

"I know you're a man now, Garfield, a very handsome man. And regarding that witch, I'm going to help you forget her."

He released her. "Mom, you're not gonna set me up with dates are you? That would be so lame."

Mento approached his adoptive son and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"She's not "setting you up" with anyone, son, and by the way, we're glad you finally came home. She's just going to make it easier for you to meet nice girls, think about it, you haven't been back here in years, and you don't know anyone."

"By 'nice' you mean snobby, rich girls who want to marry either Wall St investment bankers or guys who are gonna inherit a fortune someday."

Rita gave him a motherly glare. "Garfield, give us more credit than that."

The green superhero smiled sheepishly while he rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry, mom."

She took a step back and sized him up. He was dressed in civvies as his old Doom Patrol costumes no longer fit him and he had long since switched to his new red and white Titans costume, which he didn't want to wear anymore. "You really have grown up, Garfield."

"Let's go inside … dinner is ready." Mento remarked. "We have a new chef, and he prepared a special vegetarian dish tonight to celebrate your return."

"We also have a surprise for you waiting inside." Elastigirl added with a hint of glee in her voice.

"Rita, don't spoil the surprise!" Steve gently chastised her.

"I didn't give it away, did I?" She giggled as they reunited, his arm around her shoulder and her arm around his waist, and they walked back into the mansion. It dawned on the changeling that he and Raven never held each other that way, not in public, not anywhere. All Raven needed him for were romps in the hay and since she betrayed him with the pretty boy, he wasn't even sure she need him for that anymore.

"Garfield, are you coming?" Rita called out.

The changeling bolted from where he was standing and caught up with them. Rita wrapped her other arm around his waist. "Nothing is better than being with my two guys." She giggled.

Garfield wondered what the surprise was. A new car maybe? Steve had dozens of cars already, and Garfield figured that he had access to them anyway, but having his own car, especially something cool like a Ferrari, would be nice.

Rita released both men from her embrace and taking Garfield by the hand she led him to the cavernous dining room. Mento gallantly opened the door to the room and mother and son entered together. The dining table was in "short mode", which meant that it was only 40 feet long instead of its full 100 feet. As they entered someone rose from her seat at the far end of the table.

"Garfield?"

Rita released his hand and stepped away. The changeling stared dumfounded at the blond girl at the opposite end of the table.

"Jillian?"

She ran to him and he reciprocated, charging towards his childhood crush. They stopped in front of each other, breathless and amazed.

"Wow, you've changed … I mean … wow!" He stammered. "You're gorgeous, I mean, even more than before." He gushed.

"You've changed too, Mr. Hunk. Your folks invited me to dinner but they didn't say why. Now I'm really glad that I accepted."

"I didn't know that you'd be here either."

"Gar … forgive me being blunt … are you seeing anyone?"

The room fell silent as everyone waited for his answer. His response was simple.

Gar wrapped his arms around Jillian and kissed her. She instantly reciprocated and they melted into a fiery passionate kiss. After a blissful eternity they separated.

"I'll take that as a no." She smiled. They resumed kissing. While they did one of the butlers entered the room with a terrine of soup and upon seeing the young couple making out he did an about face and with a hint of a smile he returned to the kitchen.

"Am I a genius or am I a genius?" Rita gloated. "He was stilling pining for that witch when got off the jet, but I think that I can say with the utmost of confidence that he's already forgotten about her."

Steve pecked her on the cheek. "I didn't marry you just for your good looks. But you did overlook something; the dinner's going to get cold."

She gave him a friendly elbow in his side. "No, it won't get cold. Have I told you that you've become a cynic in your old age?"

"More than once. Why do you think I married you? You keep me on my toes."

"You bet I do … and speaking of weddings …" She said as she nodded at the amorous couple. "I think we might need to start planning one, and I'm not being premature."

"I agree. He'll never go back."

"And good riddance to them all, especially that two timing witch." Rita added.

"You know what Rita? Her cheating on him was a godsend. I was afraid that he would never wise up."

Steve and Rita shared a congratulatory kiss.

Their son was home.

_**-( scene break )-**_

Sounds like Raven is playing with fire, again.

And credit goes to The Cretin, who suggested bringing Jillian into the story. I was planning on hooking BB up with an OC superhero, but Jillian is perfect for the role. In the comics she was BB's first love, so she's perfect as Raven's foil.

I have to say, the deck is stacked against Raven. What if Warp was right and the past can't be changed? But what if it can be changed? Should Raven go back and stop herself from making her mistake? What possible harm could there be? Let me know what you think.

The Force.


	6. The Celebrity

Three weeks later …

A black town car pulled up in front of an ordinary high rise office building in Manhattan, one of the many nondescript skyscrapers that lined the borough's streets. The rear door popped open and a green man, attired in Levis, a turtleneck and a sports coat hopped out of the car.

"I'll call when I need a pick up." He shouted into the car's interior before he slammed the door shut. It was beginning to rain and he dashed into the office building's lobby, stopping in front of the elevator bank. He pressed the up arrow button on the wall and saw that all of the lifts were at the top of the building. As he waited for an elevator to arrive he drifted over to the newsstand in the lobby and began to peruse its offerings. There was a brand new copy of People magazine on one of the racks. It was partially obscured by a copy of Newsweek, but it caught his eye nonetheless as he saw a picture of his face on the magazine.

His initial instinct was to ignore it, but his curiosity got the best of him. He grabbed the magazine and handed the newsie running the stand a ten dollar bill and told him to keep the change. At that moment an elevator arrived, chiming loudly as its doors opened and it absorbed the small crowd that had formed inside it.

Garfield rolled the magazine up without looking at the cover and stuffed it into one of the coat's outside pockets as he rushed to catch the elevator, slipping in just as the doors were beginning to close. The elevator was crowded and he couldn't reach the button panel.

"Thirty seven please?" He asked a matronly woman who was next to the panel. In the typical New York style she complied without even acknowledging his presence. He still wasn't used to the natives, who didn't make eye contact with each other in public areas. He had definitely been living far too long in California.

After several stops the elevator reached the thirty seventh floor; which was occupied in its entirety by KAG Advertising, which is where Jillian worked, writing copy for print advertising.

The receptionist, a pretty Puerto Rican girl name Patty Andrade, smiled as the changeling entered the reception area.

"Hi Gar, how are you today?" She cheerfully greeted him.

"Not bad at all, Patty, how about you?"

"I'm great! It's almost quitting time, and I'm going dancing with my boyfriend tonight. Jill should be in her office, just go on in."

"Thanks Patty, you and Manny have a great time tonight!"

Gar meandered his way through the office, greeting people as he passed through. He entered Jill's office just as she was shutting down her computer.

"Hey beautiful! Ready to go paint the town red tonight?"

She looked out her office window and saw that the rain was beginning to come down hard.

"I know you had your heart on going out tonight, but it's been a hard day here in the office and I'm not up to it. How about we grab some takeout and watch a movie a movie on Netflix at my place?"

He smiled. "Hey, as long as I'm with you, I'm happy."

"Thanks Gar, you're the best. Let me grab my coat and we can get out of here."

As Jillian put on her coat she saw the rolled up magazine stuffed in his coat pocket.

"What have you got there, some porno rag?" She teased him

He pulled it out and snickered. "I'd better be careful, or someday you're gonna bust me … but get a load of this, my picture is on the front page of People magazine. I'm famous now!" He snickered as he handed the still rolled up magazine to her.

"Gar, you're a Teen Titan and a member of the Doom Patrol, you've been famous for as long as I can remember."

"I wouldn't say I was famous when I met you. And we dropped "Teen" part from our team name years ago. We, or should I say, they are now just called the Titans."

"Don't kid yourself Gar, you're still a Titan. I know how much being a Titan means to you. You probably mentioned that in every letter you wrote to me over the years."

"I wrote quite a few of those over the years, didn't I?"

"You did, and I still have them." She replied as she unrolled the magazine. She took a look at the cover and suppressed a small harrumph.

"What is it? Now that I think of it, I haven't seen the cover yet." He asked.

She handed the magazine to him with a smirk on her face.

He looked at it and his face fell. "Oh crap."

There were two pictures on the cover. One was of Gar in his red and white Titans costume and the other one of Raven. The headline read: "Beast Boy dumps Raven." A smaller caption on the bottom of the page read "Raven rumored to have cheated on boyfriend of five years"

"Who would have thought that the stuff they publish is actually true?" She commented in a dry voice. Gar tossed the magazine on her desk. She picked it up and studied Raven's picture.

"She is pretty … Gar, you still wrote to me all those years when you guys were a couple."

"According to her, we weren't a couple, or at least I wasn't her boyfriend."

She continued to study Raven's picture.

"Gar, I've never asked you this, but, why her? And five years? If you weren't her boyfriend, then what exactly were you to her?"

He rubbed one of his temples as he replied. "That's a good question … she'd hang out with me in the Tower, but we never went out on dates, she would say things like 'dating is pointless'."

"She sounds like a real sweetheart … so, if not boyfriend … then what?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno, I guess I was her manwhore, she sure likes sex, she was insatiable ... just ask Aqualad. I mean who would have guessed, she was such a prude when we were teens."

"For five whole years … you poor baby. And in case you're wondering, I'm not impressed that you were a manwhore." She snickered.

He sighed."Actually, every once in a while she almost acted like a girlfriend … she'd give me chocolates on Valentines, you know, stuff like that … but it wouldn't last and she would go back to being the horny girl who spent most of her time putting me down."

"Lots of sex but no interaction? No wonder you didn't stop writing letters to me. I guess during all that time I was your real girlfriend."

He grabbed the magazine and tossed it into a dust bin. "I don't want to talk about her anymore … Jill, as far as I'm concerned, you're the only girlfriend I ever had."

"I like that, but you know what I'd really like? My own personal manwhore!" She laughed.

"Careful what you wish for, it might come true." He snickered back at her.

They left the office together, holding hands. Raven's face stared from the bottom of the trash can and would soon be gone as the cleaning crew would soon arrive.

_**-( scene break )-**_

_Meanwhile back in Jump City._

It was Thursday, which meant that it was the girl's turn to clean up after dinner while Robin and Cyborg played a videogame. The ladies were very efficient at the job, and were up to the final task, loading the dishwasher. Starfire would rinse the dishes and Raven would methodically load the racks in the washer. The arrangement was new as Raven had previously been paired with her beau to perform cleanup. The day Beast Boy left was when the Tamaranian volunteered to be Raven's new Kitchen Patrol partner. As Starfire handed her another plate, she whispered to her friend.

"Raven … have you made any progress with your research?"

The gray girl shook her head. "Nothing … I'm starting to get discouraged, so much so that I'm beginning of thinking of asking Malchior for help."

Starfire frowned. "That would be unwise."

"I know, I was only joking."

"Raven, you should forget about such dangerous actions. I have told you many times; once he has done the 'dealing with' he will return and forgive you."

Raven paused, still holding the dish in her hand and closing her eyes she bowed her head.

"You were there, you saw what he saw. I was lying on my back, naked, spread eagle while Garth was thrusting his manhood into me and I was moaning with pleasure. Gar's never going to forgive me for that, never."

"But you are the remorseful. Surely he will take that into consideration."

"It doesn't matter, that image is burned into his brain. Every time he hears my name, he'll see me, cheating on him in our bed … it's hopeless Starfire. If I can't go back and stop myself from making that colossal mistake, then … it's over."

Starfire pouted upon hearing Raven's admission of defeat, but she wouldn't relent. "There is always hope."

The girls soon finished up and while Starfire gave the countertops a final wipe Raven made some tea and headed back to the crescent shaped couch, sitting down in her usual spot. She cracked open one of her ancient dusty books and continued her research. Starfire flitted over to the couch and addressed her beau.

"It is time for the 'Celebrity Gossip" show on the television." She reminded the boys, who had just finished a game.

"The TV is all yours Star." Cyborg remarked as he put the game controllers away.

The Princess landed next to her boyfriend, who was already changing the set to the channel. The show had already begun and the two hostesses, one blond and the other a brunette, were already introducing the program's contents for that evening.

" … _but before we get to the Lindsey Lohan story we have another one you'll be interested in, one of 'Titanic' nature, wouldn't you agree, Ashley?"_ The shapely brunette asked.

"_You'd better believe it Kimberly. As you all know, the tumultuous five year relationship between the green changeling once known as Beast Boy and Raven, the dark mistress of magic, came to an abrupt end three weeks ago. The Titans have been pretty tight lipped about exactly what happened, but we do know that it came right after the Titans annual Ball, which was held in the ubiquitous T shaped building the Titans call home in Jump City. There are rumors that infidelity was involved, but they remain unconfirmed."_

A picture of Titans Tower with a superimposed official team glam shot of a grinning Beast Boy appeared on the screen. Raven closed her book and set it aside while sipping on her tea. Her eyes were glued to the screen.

"_For the past three weeks the changeling, who has been confirmed to now be living in Dayton Manor on Long Island had remained elusive to being caught on camera, though he has been spotted many times in Manhattan by eyewitnesses."_

"_That's right Kim, but today we finally have him on camera. And not only do we have a picture, it appears that America's most eligible changeling, heir to the Dayton fortune has a new girlfriend!"_

A picture of Gar holding hands with a blond woman as they exited the office building filled the screen.

"_The picture was taken just 30 minutes ago so the mystery woman's identity remains a secret; but we are working diligently to identify her."_

"She looks familiar." Nightwing remarked. "Cy, do you recognize her?"

"Hang on, let me run that through some facial recognition software on my MAXX-9 … just a sec, almost done … whoa! That's Jillian!"

"Jillian? Who is the Jillian?" Starfire asked.

"Jillian Jackson … she was Beast Boy's first girlfriend, they met when he lived in Los Angeles, when he was on the Space Trek TV show." Cyborg clarified.

The TV exploded in a shower of glass. Nightwing and Starfire, who were still seated on the couch, shielded their faces from the explosion. Starfire glanced at Raven, who looked horrified. Starfire ran to her side, scooped her up bridal style and flew out of the room.

Nightwing brushed some broken glass off of his costume. "Cyborg, are you sure of that? Wasn't that like 10 years ago, before we formed the team? She had to be a kid back then."

"I'm positive, the even though she's an adult now, the algorithm identified her with 100% certainty."

Nightwing shook his head. "It just seems odd that she would suddenly come out of the woodwork and reconnect with him."

"Uh, Dick?"

"You're going to tell me that there's more, right?"

"Yeah … listen, don't tell Raven, cuz if she finds out she might demolish the whole Tower."

"It's that bad, huh?"

"It is. Jill and BB, they've stayed in touch, they wrote letters to each other, even when BB was with Raven."

"How do you know that?"

"The grass stain told me himself. He told me that she destroyed all his old letters from Jill when they became … whatever they were, and she did it without his permission, she just tossed them all into the incinerator. He was pissed, but he was afraid that she would dump him if he complained, so he didn't. He asked me to keep the new letters in my room. Listen Dick … Raven has no idea, so don't tell her."

"I don't like keeping secrets from you guys, I learned my lesson about that a long time ago … but in this case I agree with you, it's better if she doesn't know, at least for now."

_**-( scene break )-**_

Gar and Jill were sitting together on a puffy loveseat in her tiny apartment living room. A couple of half empty containers with some Japanese take out with chopsticks protruding from their tops sat forgotten and abandoned on the coffee table, their only company were two glasses of wine. Garfield picked up the clicker and shut off the TV.

"Would you believe I never saw the Space Trek remake movie before? And I used to star in the show."

"That kid they got play Ensign Tork, he doesn't look you."

"Well, Zachary Quinto doesn't look like Leonard Nimoy, does he? But you'd think they could get his skin color right, that was the wrong green,"

"I guess they didn't." She yawned as she stretched.

He also stretched as he stood up. "I'd better call for my ride, it's getting late."

"Can't you stay for a while … it's only 9."

"I guess it wouldn't hurt if I stayed longer. How about some more wine?" He asked as he grabbed the bottle. She nodded and he began to refill her glass. That was when his Doom Patrol communicator began to trill.

"Crud, I wonder what Mento wants." He groaned as he flipped it open. To his surprise it was Rita.

"Gar, we have a mission."

"I'll be right over …"

She raised her hand. "We aren't leaving until tomorrow night, Cliff's in the middle of overhauling the jet's engines. Are you at Jill's?"

"Yes."

"There's an ice storm and the roads are a mess. Why don't you stay with Jill tonight?"

"Sure, I mean if it's OK with her …"

"Of course it's OK." Jill enthused.

Rita smiled. "Perfect, you kids stay warm tonight. We'll see you tomorrow, Gar. Elastigirl out."

Gar snapped his communicator shut. "I have the most awesome mom. She told me to spend the night with my girlfriend. I call dibs on the couch."

Jillian smiled as she reached over to a bookcase and grabbed an ornate box make of teakwood. She flipped the lid open and pulled out several bundles of letters, each one tied together with a differently colored ribbon.

"What's that?" He asked.

"They're all the letters you wrote to me. Do you still have my letters?"

"No, Raven burned them when I became her manwhore. The ones you sent me afterwards, I had Cyborg hide them in his room, hopefully they're still there."

"She burned them?"

"Yup, she tossed them into the incinerator and without even asking me."

"Fucking bitch." Jill muttered under her breath. "Oh well, I still have yours … how about we read them?"

"Oh Geez, are you serious? My old letters must be really corny."

She smiled as she opened the first one. "They're not corny, they're sweet and tender. Come and sit down with me."

Three hours and a bottle of Riesling later she put the letters back into the box.

"See, I told you they were sweet and tender … just like you."

He blushed. "I guess you were right."

She sighed as she closed the box's lid. "Gar, how did you wind up with a bitch like Raven? And why did you put up with her crap?"

He became crestfallen. "I know it sounds crazy; but I really did love her. Don't ask me why, cuz even I don't know. I'm also ashamed to say that I did enjoy the sex."

"I see … Gar, may I ask you a personal question?"

"Of course you can. You're my best friend, my girlfriend."

She nodded. "I don't want to come across as prying … Gar, have you had any lovers besides Raven?"

He shook his head. "Nope, I was a one woman manwhore. Pathetic, huh?"

"No, not really. It shows that you're committed … wanna guess how many I've had?"

A nervous smile appeared on his face. "Is there an answer that won't get me into trouble?"

She snickered. "I suppose not ... The answer is none, I'm still a virgin. Isn't that pathetic?"

His expression changed to one of intense seriousness. "No, it's not. You should be proud of yourself. Few girls are virgins these days."

"It wasn't that hard. I just knew that I wanted to wait for the right guy and the right time."

"Makes sense." He replied. "You don't want to give that away to just anyone."

Jill suddenly blushed. "At this moment I'm looking at the right guy."

The changeling suddenly became wide eyed as Jill stood up and took his hand.

"And this is the right time."

Jill led him to her bedroom as she turned off the light in the living room. That small apartment fell silent and remained that way for a several minutes. The silence was broken by whispers and faint moans that escaped from the bedroom. These grew increasingly louder until the two lovers began calling out each other's names as they were enraptured by the agonizing ecstasy of physical love, which grew like a crescendo until it reached its climax and abruptly ended.

The two lovers slept soundly that night in their tender embrace.

_**-( scene break )-**_

_At that very same time, in Jump City._

After the TV exploded Starfire took Raven to her room and rested her on her unique circular bed. She soothed Raven and helped her to calm down. Once Raven had moderately composed herself she suggested that they should perhaps talk about what happened. Raven politely declined, after thanking Starfire for rescuing her. She said that her time would be better spent in mediation and Starfire agreed.

It was now almost two hours later. Starfire was reading in order to keep the room quiet for Raven, who had finally achieved the look of serenity that was associated with her when she was in her meditative state. The princess was wondering how much longer Raven would meditate when she suddenly jerked and collapsed onto the floor; landing with a solid thud. Starfire tossed her magazine aside and bolted to her suddenly supine friend.

"Raven! Are you OK? What happened?"

Raven gingerly sat up. "Oh Azar, the room … it's still spinning."

"Are you ill? Shall I take you to the infirmary?"

Raven shook her head. "No … I'm not sick … something bad happened." She replied in a halting voice.

"What has happened?"

"I don't know, just that it was …"

Raven stopped speaking as she threw up on the floor. Starfire shrieked with concern.

"Sorry … help … bathroom."

Starfire quickly helped Raven to the bathroom, where she vomited a second time, retching as her stomach emptied itself into the toilet.

Starfire wringed her hands with worry, wondering what cataclysmic event had affected her friend so violently.

_**-( scene break )-**_

And that's it for today!


	7. The Depressing Cafe

Raven remained on the bathroom floor, looking miserable while Starfire paced around, not knowing what to do.

"I'm OK, Starfire." She announced in a very weak voice.

Raven tried to get up but her legs buckled under her. Starfire caught her before she hit the floor.

"I shall take you to the infirmary. Cyborg can do the tests to determine what it is that ails you."

"It isn't physical. I suffered a psychic shock … please help me get up, I want to rinse my mouth."

The princess complied and gently helped Raven to her feet.

"Thanks, I already feel better. I can stand on my own now."

Starfire kept a close eye on Raven as she remained unconvinced that the sorceress wouldn't collapse again. Raven leaned against the bathroom sink and repeatedly rinsed her mouth, until the taste of bile was gone. She turned, her legs now sturdier, to face her friend.

"I need to go back to my room."

Raven had been bunking with Starfire since the day she cheated on Garfield and had not set foot in her room since that day.

"Are you sure, Raven?"

"Yes … I need to be alone … and figure out what happened to me. It's nothing personal Starfire; you've been very kind to let me use your room, though it has given you an excuse to sleep with Nightwing every night."

"Very well … if you need anything, just summon me with your communicator."

"I will … thanks."

Raven phased out the door into the hallway and glided over to her room, landing in front of her door, which still had her name stenciled on it. She hesitated as she looked apprehensively at the door, as if it was challenging her to enter. She sighed and closing her eyes she phased through the door.

When she reopened her eyes the room was pitch dark and she strained to see her surroundings. She gestured with her hand, but the candles did not light up. Recalling the light switch was next to the door she turned and flicked it on. The LCD illumination panels on the ceiling that Cyborg had recently installed in all the rooms began to glow and the room came to life.

The first thing she noticed was that all the candles were burned out as she forgot to blow them out when she left her room after talking with Nightwing and Bumblebee. But that was not what she came to see.

She slowly turned to face her still unmade bed. His scent was long gone but the rumpled bed bore witness that he had indeed been there. She could still sense his aura, which was the reason she returned to her room. It was now weak and she knew that she had to get closer, but her legs wouldn't obey her and she remained standing at a respectful distance.

Balling her fists she began to walk until she was standing at bedside. His aura was stronger, as it was embedded in the sheets and the mattress. She closed her eyes and drew it in to her mind. She then compared it to the psychic blast she felt earlier.

"It wasn't him … thank Azar." She muttered to herself.

She reopened her eyes and saw the bed once again, which screamed at her, reminding her of her infidelity. The first thing she saw was her pillow, which still had the indentation where her head was resting. She then saw two places where the sheets where bunched up. She remembered grabbing the sheet with her hands, as if holding on to dear life while she shouted 'oh Garth' with every one of his pelvic thrusts. Then something caught her eye … a stain … right where her vagina would have been on the bed. She winced when she realized that it was probably his dried semen.

She suddenly lunge at the bed and screamed as she tore the sheets off it and shoved them down the trash chute into the basement incinerator. She leaned against the wall as she fought back the tears, but she could still feel his wretched presence. She turned and saw her mattress, the mattress where she and Garfield spent many a delightful and intimate night together. Even though Aqualad's stain did not reach the mattress itself, it stank of his aura and it was therefore defiled.

She ran to the bad and only using her petit physique she hauled the mattress off the bed frame, threw it onto the floor and she began to kick it repeatedly, after which she fell to her knees and began to weep.

Regaining her composure she glared at the mattress and rose to her feet. Her teeth clenched, she raised her hands towards the mattress and tendrils of dark energy emerged, engulfing the mattress before ripping it to shreds. Using just her hands she stuffed the fragments into the trash chute. It took her several minutes to complete the task and she sighed with relief when the task was complete. She reached out with her senses and confirmed what she had hoped to accomplish: His aura was gone. She heaved a huge sigh of relief as she leaned against the wall and slid until she was sitting on the floor, where she remained for several minutes.

She stood up and pulled out her communicator, dialing up Cyborg's frequency. His jovial appeared on the communicator's display.

"Hey Raven, what can I do for you, little lady?"

"I need a new mattress … and bedding too."

"Oookay … you mind telling me what happened to your old mattress?"

"It's in the incinerator."

An "Aha! I get it!" look appeared on his face.

"No problem. When do you want it?"

"Tonight … I'm going out for a bit, I should be back by midnight. Before then would be nice."

"You got it. Lucky for you I have a spare in the basement. Whatever you're gonna do, have fun."

Raven shut her communicator.

"I doubt it will be fun."

_**-( scene break )-**_

A young couple walked down the street in the Jump's Gaslamp District and entered a small brick building. A flickering neon light above the door identified the establishment as the "Sartre Café". Shortly after they entered another figure approached: a small woman wearing a hood and a cape. He gait was gentle and at the same time deliberate and she appeared to glide up the short flight of steps that lead to the heavy oak doors that were the entrance to the café.

The café's interior was shabby. There were over two dozen dilapidated tables, no two alike and a hodgepodge of creaky wooden chairs of all styles and shapes.

It was almost 11 PM and the café was almost full. There was a small stage next to the bar where a huge espresso machine stood out. Three female baristas, their arms covered in tattoos of mysterious glyphs, dragons and other mystical creatures were busy plying their trade, preparing all sorts of coffees for the clientele.

Raven spotted an empty table at the far end of the room, which is how she liked it. As she walked past the stage she saw that Derek, I hipster who was a regular at the café, was on stage reciting some existentialist poem he wrote. He wasn't great but Raven thought that his work was passable.

They had chatted in the past on many occasions, all the way back to even before the Titans became a team. He did seem to hover around her on occasion, at least on the days when he had no other female companionship, which seemed to change a lot over the years. Raven wished she had a dollar for every one of Derek's girlfriends she met over the years. But he had never made a move on her, not once. She never brought Garfield to the café, which was probably a good idea as he would have probably fallen asleep.

Raven reached her table and sat down on one of the mismatched chairs that surrounded it. While Derek continued to prattle on stage one of the café's two waitresses, a girl with orange hair and several piercings on her face approached the sorceress.

"The usual?"

"Yes, please."

The waitress returned within a couple of minutes and placed a mug of Earl Gray tea and a cranberry scone on a chipped plate in front of Raven, and left without saying a word. The gray sorceress picked up the scone and took a tiny bite out of it, after which she sipped her tea. The sound of a saxophone playing the blues filled the café and Raven soaked in its sad, soulful tune, which today seemed even more appropriate than usual. As she took a second bite of her scone Derek sat down at her table.

"Haven't seen you here for a while, I was wondering if you were gonna come back."

Raven looked up at him. "I've been busy."

"I imagine. So, what did you think of my recital?"

"I wasn't listening; sorry … I have other things on my mind."

"Beast Boy, huh?"

"His name is Changeling."

"Yeah, I know … so you guys broke up, huh?"

"That's what everyone is saying … Derek … I don't feel like talking tonight. I just came for the music."

"He dumped you, didn't he? I can tell, you're even gloomier than usual."

She glared at him. "You want some advice? Leave the detective work to Nightwing."

"Sorry Raven … it's just pretty obvious."

"So what if it is?"

He shrugged. "Believe it or not, you'll eventually get over him … how long was he your boyfriend? Two years?"

"Five." She corrected him with a curt voice.

"Whoa, that's rough … you must really be hurting."

"So now you've decided to be a shrink?"

He chuckled. "Nah, I'm just speaking from experience. Believe it or not, I've been dumped a few times."

"I never would have guessed." Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

"That's what I love about you Raven, that sharp, biting wit."

"Most guys complement a girl on her looks."

"It's already established that you're hot. No need to repeat it."

"Aren't you the charming one? How many times did you say you got dumped?"

"I didn't … listen, he dumped you and you're feeling lousy. You're stuck in a void, so fill it."

"What?"

"You know, connect with a guy. The sooner the better."

"I'm not sure I follow you. Relationships take time to form; you don't just start one on a whim."

"I'm not talking about that. Just hook up with someone. If you're shy, you can hook up with me."

Raven gave him an annoyed look. "In English please."

He stifled a laugh. "I forget, you're a foreigner."

He smiled at her before continuing.

"A hook up … you find a guy you like and you have sex with him."

"Have sex with a stranger? That's your solution?"

"Don't knock casual sex until you've tried it. Look, if you were with him for five years you were sleeping with him, and don't deny it. Getting laid after being dumped can be very therapeutic."

She pursed her lips. "Somehow, I doubt that. How could a one night stand be a replacement for intimate lovemaking?"

"It doesn't have to be a one night stand. You've heard of "Friends with Benefits", haven't you?"

"I have." She frowned.

"Raven, I'm serious. I know that you're hurting and are probably hoping that you'll reconcile with him. Maybe you will, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll eventually start another relationship, and then you can have all the intimate sex you want. But that might take a while. And right now you feel rejected and undesirable. Just find someone you like. He doesn't have to be a stranger, he can be a friend. It can be pretty good, believe me."

"You're just trying to get me into bed with you." She remarked in a dry monotone.

"Who, me? I was just offering to show you the ropes, hey. I've got a girlfriend now."

"How noble of you."

"Aw, c'mon, don't be that way … you should hook up with one of your fellow Titans … and I know which one, he'll boost your ego."

"Now you're being ridiculous."

"No I'm not. All you have to do is offer a hook up. Most guys will accept, even the ones with girlfriends. Only the stupid ones, AKA the nice guys, will turn you down … and you're hot Raven, you won't get turned down."

"This is absurd, totally absurd."

"No, it's not. Look Raven, what you really need is a good looking guy with a really big dick. Have sex with him and your self esteem will improve. Once that happens you can start looking for a boyfriend. But who says you can't have fun in the meantime?"

"You're crazy … so tell me Derek, who should I "hook up" with to fix my self esteem?"

He grinned. "Isn't it obvious? Aqualad!"

Their table exploded, sending Derek flying into a wall. He slumped to the floor and watched a four eyed Raven approach him. Frozen in terror, he couldn't move. Raven opened her mouth, exposing her serrated teeth.

"Don't ever mention Aqualad to me!" She roared in an otherworldly, guttural tone. As the other patrons stared silently at the scene she sank into the ground and vanished.

A waitress came to inspect the damage. She turned to the still petrified hipster.

"You're paying for the table, Derek."

_**-( scene break )-**_

A shorter chapter than usual, but hey, I'm updating every day. Tomorrow we go back to Manhattan.


	8. Pillow Talk

The sound of the waves crashing against the shoreline rocks permeated the air. Raven stood sadly at the very spot where she found Beast Boy after the Beast incident. The location reminded her of a happier time, when their lives were simpler. She found the repetitive nature of the waves to be soothing, if ineffective in helping her solve her situation. The memory of the incident at the café haunted her and she was still feeling disturbed by it.

The hour was late and Cyborg had already turned on the Tower's security, which meant that she wouldn't be able to phase her way inside. Heaving a tiny sigh as soft as a whisper she headed for the main entrance. After placing her palm on the reader and keying in her passcode the titanium door slid open, granting her access to her home.

She walked quietly through the couch lined lobby until she reached the elevator, which she board. Her finger was about to press the H button, which would have taken her to the habitat level. She stopped herself and instead pressed the C button. The elevator doors closed and when they reopened she was in the common room, where she disembarked, taking a detour to prepare a cup of herbal tea. Much to her surprise, Cyborg was still up, at midnight, playing a videogame. She walked to the couch and sat down next to him. Without turning to face him, she spoke.

"Aren't you getting a bit old to be playing those inane video games?"

"I'll never be too old … by the way, I got the new mattress in your room. I even made the bed for you."

"Thank you."

"Hey, no problem … so how was your outing?"

She closed her eyes and shook her head as she replied.

"Not good."

"That's too bad. Anything you want to talk about?"

She leaned back on the couch and crossed her arms.

"I went to the café."

"Oh, you mean the one with the beatniks?"

"They're not beatniks; the café's clientele is a mix of Goths and Hipsters."

"Sounds like a lively crowd."

"It's not, which is why I like to go there. I bumped into one of the regulars, a jerk named Derek. He fancies himself a poet and a ladies' man. He's neither."

"Lemme guess, he pissed you off?"

"You could say that."

"What did he do?"

"Apparently the entire world knows that Gar dumped me, though they don't know why, for which I'm grateful. Anyway, Derek suggested that I drown my sorrows with copious amounts of casual sex, and he even offered himself to me as a sacrificial lamb."

Cyborg snickered. "So what did you do to him? Send him to another dimension?"

She shook her head. "I behaved myself and restricted my responses to telling him he was insane. He wouldn't take no for an answer and my patience began to wear thin."

"So what happened?"

"He switched gears, suggesting that I 'hook up' with a teammate, preferably a handsome one with an oversized penis."

Cyborg guffawed. "Did he really tell you that?"

"He did. I think he was hoping that someone else would break me in and that he could swoop in later for sloppy seconds. And before you ask, I didn't do anything to him, at least not until …"

"Oh oh, what happened?"

Raven was suddenly fighting back tears. "He suggested I approach Aqualad and that I make him a 'friend with benefits'."

Cyborg's face fell. "Oh snap."

"That's when I lost it." She said between sobs. "Cyborg … Victor … what's wrong with me?"

"Raven, that's not for me to say."

She sniffled before continuing. "Victor, am I a slut?"

He took a deep breath and exhaled before answering. "Only you know the answer to that question, Raven."

"I suppose that you're right … well then, let's approach this logically."

"Always a good idea if you ask me." He replied.

"Gar was my boyfriend for five years."

He raised his human eyebrow, but said nothing. She noticed his facial gesture.

"Yes, I know I never publicly acknowledged him as such, but he was my boyfriend and you all knew it."

He cleared his throat. "That makes you an ass or a bitch, Raven, but not a slut."

"I know, I'm still in fact gathering mode … he was faithful to me and was a fantastic lover. He is very well endowed, far better than most men."

"And you know this, how?" He grinned.

"I read, or do you think I was running around with a ruler, measuring other men?" She glared at him.

"Ok, sorry, that was uncalled for." He apologized.

"Thanks … so continuing … he put up with my bitchy disposition for five years, never complaining, that is …"

"Until the Ball." He remarked.

"The Ball, where he gave me a taste of my own medicine, and instead of taking it I went nuclear on him. I even hit him with my powers, and hard. I didn't hold back. Had he been an ordinary guy I probably would have cracked several of his ribs and sent him to the hospital."

"I was there … you did slam him good … Raven, there's something you need to know."

"Don't tell me, you encouraged him to push back."

"Raven, had I known how it was going to end …"

"You couldn't have known, and even I didn't realize what I was doing until it was too late."

Cyborg nodded. "So, how did you get from the common room to your bed with him?"

She sighed. "It started innocently enough. He saw me crying and consoled me. He then told me about Tula and how she dumped him. I think that was when my clusterfuck began."

"What do you mean?"

"Cyborg, it's no secret that I've had a crush on Aqualad since the day I met him. He's unbelievably handsome. Gar on the other hand … well … he isn't. He isn't ugly, but, well, he's kind of ordinary looking, except for being green, having pointy ears and fangs. And I know, I'm one to talk. I'm gray, have purple hair and I'm five foot nothing. I'm hardly a beauty queen."

"Hey, don't sell yourself short … there's a reason that Derek guy was trying to get into your panties … you got the goods Raven."

"Victor, please don't patronize me."

"No, I'm serious, you got a nice figure. You're well shaped upstairs and have sweet butt."

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that. Anyway, getting back to the biggest mistake I ever made … I suddenly felt … I don't know … special maybe? The hunkiest Titan was showering me with attention and it made me feel good. So I invited him to my room. Once there things went downhill fast. I even asked him to undress me …"

She choked back a sob. "I was thinking about Gar the whole time, feeling guilty as hell. I told Aqualad that I was in love with him, but that was bald faced lie. I just wished to be wanted by him. I only wanted it once … I even resolved to make up with Gar and apologize to him publicly for the way I treated him."

She began to break down.

"Gar's my only true love Victor; I just wanted this fling, just one time in my life I wanted to make love with a god before I settled down with Gar. It happened so quickly … I didn't plan it, but I wanted it, I wanted it sooo badly. I told myself that if Gar never knew then it wouldn't matter, that I wouldn't have cheated on him because I don't love Aqualad."

She began to wail uncontrollably.

"Raven …"

She pulled herself together, wiping away the tears. "So now I've lost my true love, who has already taken up with another woman. And the worst part is that I did it for nothing."

"For nothing?"

She wiped her tears with her sleeve as she choked back another sob.

"Garth is a mediocre lover … it turns that my boyfriend was the real sex god."

"Raven … I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to; I know I'm a slut."

He shook his head. "You're not a slut Raven, but what you are is an idiot. You played with fire and got burned. Now if you start giving booty calls to asswipes like Derek, then you really are a slut."

"It just feels so hopeless." She whimpered.

"Look, Raven, I'm not gonna sugarcoat it. You dug yourself in deep. You really hurt him, but I think that with time, he will forgive you and maybe even take you back."

"And what about Jillian?"

"She's the wildcard. I hate to say this Raven, but at this point in time, BB is hers to lose. If she doesn't screw up with him, you can pretty much kiss him goodbye."

"I already knew that … so what do I do, Victor? I'm never gonna find someone else. Do I just play the hook up game like Derek suggested?"

"Hey! First of all, you haven't lost him yet, not permanently. Secondly, even if you do lose him, there are other nice guys. But most of all, you aren't going to lower yourself to one night stands. You're way too good for that, so get it out of your head … and just so you know, I'm already working on getting him to forgive you."

Her face lit up. "You are?"

"I am, but that's only the first step and believe it or not, it's the easy one."

"What's the hard step?" She asked.

He looked away and frowned. He turned back to face her with a troubled look on his face.

"The tough part is gonna be getting him to trust you again."

_**-( scene break )-**_

_Next morning in Manhattan…_

The changeling woke to a pair of warm lips pressed against his own. It was a soft kiss, both gentle and sensuous. A small hand played with the green hairs on his chest, teasing them as she continued to smooch him. He moaned as he slowly began to wake up.

Jill, slid out of the queen sized bed that filled up most of her tiny bedroom and pulled an oversized T-shirt over her naked body.

"I need to call the office and tell them I'm working from home; I'm not going out in the cold and ice today. Don't go anywhere, baby, I'll be right back."

Still half asleep the changeling rolled over in the bed, snuggling into the down comforter that helped keep them warm the night before.

"It's OK Raven, I'll wait." He mumbled, fortunately out of Jill's earshot. Seconds later his eyes shot wide open and he realized where he was and what he just said.

"What the hell? Did I really say that?" He muttered to himself.

Jill marched back into the room and pulled off the T-shirt, basking in her natural glory before her new lover. He stared, mesmerized, feeling a strange sense of familiarity. Suddenly it dawned on him: Jill's figure was almost identical to Raven's. The two women could probably share clothes with each other.

She smiled at him. "It isn't polite to gawk." She teased him as she slipped back into the bed with him.

"Is it my fault you're smoking hot?" He grinned before pulling her into a kiss.

Their kissing quickly escalated into foreplay and it wasn't long until they were making love, which ended as most lovemaking sessions do. She curled up next to him and they kissed some more.

"Working at home, huh?" He wagged his eyebrows at her. "Sounds like my kind of job."

She playfully smacked him on the head.

"I'll work later today after you leave … Gar, about that, there's something I want to talk about."

It wasn't the dreaded "We need to talk" that all men feared, but it was close enough. He braced himself for what would no doubt be an unpleasant discussion.

"What is it?"

"This mission you're going on. You haven't learned the details about it yet … but you're a superhero with the Doom Patrol. And that means only one thing, this mission; it's going to be dangerous, isn't it?"

He shrugged. "All missions are dangerous. They are with the Doom Patrol and they were with the Titans. But I'm a superhero, so don't worry, everything will be under control."

"Under control? You were shot three years ago. When I saw it on the news I freaked out. I was going to drive up to Jump City, until I realized that Raven wouldn't want me there … Gar … you aren't Superman … you're flesh and blood like everyone else. You could get hurt. You could die."

"Jill … being a superhero is what I am, you know that."

She smiled weakly. "Gar, I'm not saying that I want you to quit now, but what about the future? I know that it means a lot to you; but what about me? Don't I mean a lot to you too?"

"Of course you do … tell you what … how about we talk about this when I get back from the mission? We can go away for the weekend to a bed and breakfast in Vermont. We'll have all the time in the world."

"That sounds good, so when will you get back?"

"I … I don't know." He stammered. "When the Doom Patrol goes out on missions, they can last for a while."

"A while? How long exactly is that?"

He shrugged. "It depends on the mission; it could be days, weeks … months."

"Months!?"

"Jill, relax, we'll probably just be gone for a few days."

She pouted her displeasure.

"Hey, c'mon!" He grinned.

"OK, but you'd better be back soon." She smiled.

He kissed her. "Well, I'm glad we got that out of the way."

"Uh, actually, there's something else I want to talk about."

"Uh oh."

"Relax Gar, it's not about you."

"Well, that's a relief. So what is it?"

"I want to talk about Raven."

His ears visibly drooped. "Why? She's history."

"Yes, I know, but I don't know why she's history."

"It's simple. She cheated on me."

"Cheated? You mean sexually?"

"Is there any other way?"

Jill looked troubled. "I don't get it. You guys were together for five years and she was a jealous girlfriend. Why would she cheat on you?"

Garfield sat up in the bed with a frown on his face.

"You should already know, I told you in the letters … she treated me like crap those five years."

She looked puzzled. "OK, I agree, that's bad, but what does that have to do with infidelity?"

He grunted before continuing. "A few weeks ago I grew a backbone and pushed back. She didn't like that, not one bit. So she grabbed Aqualad and fucked his brains out."

"Ok, that's really bad. Gar, are you sure of this?"

"I SAW IT WITH MY OWN EYES!"

Jill's mouth fell open. "You mean you caught them in the act?"

He punched one of the pillows. "You bet I did. I can still see him thrusting into her."

Jill fell silent. After a prolonged paused she also sat up and gently pulled him into a hug. "Gar, I'm so sorry, that must have been awful."

"It was … it still is."

She pecked him on the cheek.

"Gar … I know this is going to sound crazy …"

"What?"

"You need to forgive her."

"Oh come on, not you too? I can understand that Cy and Star want me to reconcile with her, but you?"

"I'm not saying that you should go back to her. Just forgive her. Gar, you've got all of this pent up anger inside you … it's bad for you and it'll be bad for us. You need to forgive her, and then you'll be able to let her go. And until you let her go, we can't be the couple we're meant to be."

He fell back on his pillow. "I guess that makes sense …"

He raised his arm in an exaggerated acting pose.

"Raven, I forgive you … there … it's done."

She plopped down next to him. "It doesn't work like that. You need to do it face to face with her. Calmly tell her how she hurt you, how you felt. Then give her a chance to say her bit and then when she's done … you forgive her. And then you say goodbye … without anger … you can even kiss her goodbye if you'd like."

"You make it sound so easy."

"It isn't easy but it doesn't have to be tomorrow. You need to prepare for it. Your forgiveness needs to be genuine, Gar, but it's worth it, because it'll set you free."

He smiled. "I think you're right."

A clock in the living room chimed. It was now 11 AM.

He hopped out of the bed. I'd better get ready, Mento's sending a chopper to pick me around 12:30 and I need to shower.

"Mind if I join you?"

He gave her one of his toothy grins.

"I thought you'd never ask."

_**-( scene break )-**_

So, what do you guys think about Cyborg's and Jill's advice?

Also, reviews dropped off quite a bit. Did you not like the previous chapter?


	9. Absolution

The white, missile shaped jet streaked across the African sky. Cliff was at the controls and Mento sat next to him, discussing something while he pointed at a map in his hands. Robotman would occasionally nod, grunt or shake his head while Mento continued to talk.

In the second row Larry was snoozing and Rita was talking to someone on the comm link, probably the head butler back at the house, giving him last minute preparation instructions for an upcoming dinner that the state Governor and a few other dignitaries were going to attend.

Garfield sat alone back in the fifth row, which had always been his favorite place in the jet. It had been his special spot because he thought he would be able to clandestinely read comic books back there, which Mento had been clear he did not approve of. Now he knew that everyone had been well aware of the "secret" stash of comic books he kept in a compartment next to the seat, and that Rita cajoled Steve all those years ago to look the other way, saying "he's a young boy, Steve, cut him some slack." Gar peeked into the compartment for old time's sake. It was empty.

He chuckled at the memory. Few people knew just how much sway Rita had over Steve, and not because they were married. Sure, Mento was the team's leader and was a billionaire businessman whose personal fortune rivaled Bruce Wayne's. He was a formidable man, with a powerful intellect and psychic powers that were considerably augmented by his strange looking helmet, which was created by "The Chief", Dr. Niles Caulder, the founder of the Doom Patrol, who Mento eventually ousted from his leadership role in the team.

Rita, his adoptive mother, had a very different background. When she was very young she was a budding Hollywood starlet and even though she was now past her prime she was still a stunningly beautiful woman and would probably have had a successful career in Hollywood had it not been for the "accident".

Dr. Caulder had not only founded the Doom Patrol, he created it. He was the utmost worldwide authority on metahuman physiology and with the exception of the changeling he had directly intervened to save each of the other members when an accident transformed them into freaks.

In Rita's case it was exposure to volcanic gases that gave her the size changing powers associated with Elastigirl. She was unable to control them, growing and shrinking involuntarily. Her acting career suddenly ended as she was now considered a freak and she couldn't get cast, not even for cheap made for TV movies. That was when the Chief showed up and invited her to join the Doom Patrol and helped learn to control her powers. Larry, Cliff and Steve all had similar stories.

It was only later, shortly after Steve and Rita adopted Garfield, that they learned the truth about Caulder. He had been responsible for their accidents, after he carefully chose each one of them to be a potential member of the Doom Patrol. But there was more. Not all of Caulder's targets wound up as members of the team. In particular, there was one who not only refused to join but became a thorn in the Chief's side and later became Mento's bane. Had he chosen to join the team he would have been the founding member. Instead he chose to become an evil master mind: The Brain.

Their mission today was a relatively simple one: There had been reports of strange, mutant wildlife in a jungle in Uganda. The locals were terrified of the creatures, which were reported to be fierce, unusually large with "super animal" strength and a propensity to seek out people and attack them. According to some who had seen them and lived to tell it, some of the creatures even had "powers" and the local military was afraid of encountering them.

It was all in the dossier, which Garfield read with great interest as all things concerning animals mattered greatly to him. As he read and reread the reports he felt the ire swell in his chest. There were reports and in some cases blurry photographs of elephants, zebras, monkeys, bird and other mammals that had been mutated. He knew that this wasn't something that had happened naturally, these animals were victims, either of negligence or worse … someone had done this to them on purpose. So the Ugandan government, via the United Nations, had requested help to see what had happened.

Normally this would have been handled by the Justice League, but they were shorted handed at the time, occupied with an off world civil war that if left unchecked could potentially pull Earth into its sphere of conflict. The next choice was the semi retired Doom Patrol, and here they were, hours into their flight from New York and finally approaching their destination.

Garfield growled as he read the reports for the umpteenth time. His concentration was interrupted by his mother's voice.

"Remember, Garfield, never get emotionally involved with a mission, you know what Steve says."

He closed the white folder, which had a UN logo on it and turned to face his mother, who had moved to the seat next to him.

"That it clouds your mind and leads to poor decision making. Funny how he doesn't follow his own advice."

"True, but that's only when the Brotherhood of Evil is involved."

"You know how I feel about animals."

"I do, Garfield, I do." She smiled. "And speaking of emotional involvement, how are things between you and Jillian?"

"They're … good." He answered evasively.

She nodded.

"I see, so I presume that you've finally started sleeping with her. Last night was the first time, right?"

He coughed violently. "Mom! What the hell?"

"I'll take that as a yes. Garfield … we really like Jillian, a lot."

He narrowed his eyes. "What are you saying?"

She smiled. "Nothing bad, really. When you came home and reconnected with her, your father and I were very pleased as it was just what you needed to get over the witch, and we both believe that the two of you probably have a future together."

"OK, so where is this going?"

Rita chuckled. "Your father is a bit of a romantic. He's already hoping that you'll marry her."

"But you don't … right?"

"Not right away. Listen Garfield, Jill might be the one … and she probably is. When your father invited her to your homecoming and we met, I fell in love with her. She's pretty, sweet, smart and she's crazy about you. Everything a mother wants for her son. But upon further reflection, I realize I was being premature. For starters, you hardly know her."

"What are you talking about? I've known her for years!"

Rita smirked. "As a pen pal. And before that she was a junior high crush."

He frowned at her. "So? What wrong with that?"

"Nothing, but it's not a substitute for a real relationship, which you are just starting out."

He heaved an exasperated sigh. "What is it that you're really trying to tell me?"

"Fair enough, I've been dancing around the issue, so l might was well get to the point … Garfield, before you really get serious with Jillian or any other woman you need to … how can I say this? … Oh what the hell … Gar, you need to fool around first."

He stared at her as if she had suddenly grown a second head.

"Fool around? You can't be serious."

"I am dead serious. You're a young man. It's what you're designed to do, it's how you're made, and if you don't do it now, you'll regret it later. So you see, you need to get it out of your system. Then, when you're 30 something your hormones won't be quite so in charge anymore and you'll be able to settle down into a faithful, monogamous life with a nice girl."

"But I would be cheating on Jill if I did that."

Rita smirked. "Garfield, let me ask you a question … have you promised her to forsake all others?"

"Well … no … but isn't that like a given?"

"No Garfield, it's not. That is never implied. Why do you think fidelity is part of traditional wedding vows? Because it's NEVER implied."

Beast Boy frowned as he processed her words.

"That's … that's a bunch of crap. That means that Raven never cheated on me and I have no reason to be angry … that's bullshit."

Rita placed a hand of his shoulder.

"Gar, it's not bullshit. And to be fair, if guys can fool around, so can girls."

"So now you're on Raven's side too?"

Rita smiled and shook her head. "No, Gar, of course not, but not for the reasons you're thinking. I don't like Raven, not one bit, but not because of her fling with Aqualad. I don't like her for you because she's a dominating, foul tempered, nasty bitch of a witch who will only make you miserable."

"So I'm supposed to be cool with her fling with Aqualad?" He nearly shrieked, unable to conceal the disbelief in his voice.

"Of course not, it's in our nature to be jealous. That's why we promise to be faithful when we take a spouse. Garfield, the only thing she did wrong was to take him to your room; they should have left the Tower and gone somewhere discrete so that you would have never known about it … unless of course she did promise to forsake all others for you … did she? I seem to recall that she would publicly disavow that you were even her boyfriend."

The changeling rubbed his forehead. "So I'm supposed to be cool knowing that my girlfriend might be fooling around behind my back. And since when are girls supposed to fool around?"

"Garfield, sexual fidelity isn't something that comes easy to most people, especially when they're young. And yes, girls fool around too, what's good for the goose is good for the gander, after all. It might come as a shock to you Garfield, but I fooled around a lot before I married your father."

He stared at her, his mouth slightly agape.

"Oh Garfield, don't act so surprised. Or do you think that your generation invented "friends with benefits"? You know that I was an actress, in Hollywood I had lots of opportunities to hook up with some awesome guys and I did. I'm not ashamed to say that I had some amazing lovers in those days, all gorgeous men who knew how to please a woman. Did you really think that your father was my first lover or that I was his first?"

"I don't believe I'm hearing this."

"Yes, you're shocked, but before you consign me to whoredom, I'll have you know that since I said 'I do' I haven't even looked at another man. I have been faithful to your father for almost twenty years, and I've had plenty of chances to cheat since I married him. I've been a damn good wife and mother."

His expression became morose.

"How many guys?" He growled.

"Does it matter? You father doesn't care, so why should you?"

"Because I do."

"What difference does it make?" She smiled.

"I'm lucky that Jillian isn't anything like you."

Rita's smile disappeared and she handed him another folder. "Garfield, I'm sorry, but you need to see this."

He took the folder from his mother. "What is this?"

"Your father, he had a background check done on Jillian, just to be sure she didn't have a criminal history. This is the report. You need to look at it."

"She has a criminal record ?" He asked with a hint of trepidation.

"No … she's clean … but there's something else. Nothing your father or I consider being an issue. But you should know."

He held the folder tight in his hand.

"What should I know?"

"Did she tell you she was a virgin?"

He swallowed hard but didn't answer.

"I'll take that as a yes. Garfield … she's had 4 different live in boyfriends over the past two years. She broke up with the last one just three months ago. She was seeing another guy when you came home from Jump, in fact, she was still seeing him until a few days ago, she stayed at his apartment sometimes, usually when we were training and you didn't have time to see her. Garfield … she likes to fool around."

He opened the folder and examined the contents, reading the reports and carefully examining the photos, one which was dated from a week ago and showed Jillian kissing a tall, muscular dark haired man named Tony Garzarelli early in the morning as they left his apartment building, both heading off to their respective jobs. Garfield dropped the folder on the floor.

"I don't understand …"

Rita caressed him on the shoulder.

"Don't be upset Garfield … how can I explain this … when girls fool around, they like a certain kind of guy … I guess you might call them 'bad boys' … but when they decide they want to get serious then their tastes in men change."

"Like you did with dad?"

"Yes, but it's not what you think. I didn't trade down from a stud to a wimpy nice guy."

"Then what did you do?"

She smiled. "I traded up from studs who weren't interested in commitment to one who was."

"Why didn't you just do that from the beginning?" He glared at her.

"Why? Because I wanted to fool around, I wasn't ready at that time for commitment. I wanted to sample men and have fun, and I did. And you should also have many lovers before you tie yourself down to single woman."

He rubbed his temples. "I'm sorry, but … I can't accept that."

"Oh Garfield, you really are one of those rare, sweet, romantic boys. Whoever ends up with you, she's gonna be one lucky girl …"

"Except now I have to start out all over again."

"No you don't, I know what you're thinking, that Jillian's a skank, but if you want to marry a virgin, you might have to steal a girl from a convent, and a lot of those ones aren't virgins either. I know you might disagree right now, but believe it or not, Jill's a nice girl. And you shouldn't feel jealous about this Tony guy. She's in the process of dumping him for you, if anything he's the one who should be jealous. Listen Garfield, she's done playing with bad boys and she's ready to trade up to you."

He shook his head in dismay.

"Shit, this changes everything … so … was Aqualad Raven's bad boy?"

"I don't know what their deal was Gar, but forget about Raven, she isn't good for you. She never was. Your father and I, we were overjoyed when you broke up with her."

"I wish you hadn't told me about Jill …"

"You would have found out eventually. It's Garfield, I know she was your first crush and she wrote to you over the years, but it's better that you know the truth. And don't be disappointed that she lied to you; she probably knows you pretty well from years of writing to you and when you became available she didn't want to blow her chance with you. I'm certain that she would have eventually told you the truth."

He stared at the floor and said nothing.

"Garfield … are you OK?"

He looked up at his adoptive mother, with tears in his eyes. "Girls suck." He whimpered.

Before Rita could reply a loud explosion rocked the jet, which began to spin violently as alarms blared, warning of their impending doom. Gar remembered the evacuation drill but the plane was spinning so quickly that he couldn't undo his five point seat belt. The plane spun faster and faster, and within seconds he was starting to black out, with the understanding that this might be the end.

As he prepared himself to die, as single name crossed his mind before he finally lost consciousness.

"Raven" He whispered before blacking out.

_**-( scene break )-**_

Mr. Terrific sat at the dispatch console in the orbiting Watchtower. One of the many displays in front of him showed the Doom Patrol Jet's flight path, with its transponder code blinking on the map, showing that it was already in Ugandan airspace. A warning buzzer rang on the console and he focused his attention on the screen, noticing immediately that the transponder code was missing from the display.

He immediately picked up a handset and pressed a few buttons.

"Doom Patrol 1, this is the Watchtower, please respond."

There was no reply. He waited a moment before trying again.

"Doom Patrol 1, this is the Watchtower, please respond."

Again there was no response. He punched some more numbers.

"Hello, yes this is the Watchtower … Sorry for the late call, but we just lost contact with the Doom Patrol. I believe their jet was shot down in Uganda … you're available, good … no need for that, the teleporters are back online … how soon can you be ready?"

_**-( scene break )-**_

Raven was tossing and turning in her sleep. Aqualad's aura, after she finished exorcising its remaining traces from the rest of the room, was finally gone. Unfortunately, so was Garfield's. She didn't know it, but she was unconsciously trying to find it while she slept, but like him it was gone. Her sleeping face contorted in frustration and she groaned unhappily.

Suddenly she woke in a sweat and sat up in her bed.

"GARFIELD!"

She looked around her room; her heart was pounding as she wrapped her arms around herself, while she shivered.

"It was a nightmare, he's OK … relax." She panted.

Slowly she regained her composure and as she lay back down on her bed the tower's claxons began to blare.

"Titans, report to the common room." Nightwing's voice blared over the PA system. "We have a rescue mission we're doing for the Justice League. Time is of the essence! We will be teleported to the scene of the crash."

Raven leaped out of her bed and quickly donned her leotard, cape and boots before phasing into the floor and materializing in the common room. The others were already there. Cyborg handed her a clamshell backpack with a red cross symbol on it.

"What happened?" She asked as she slipped on the backpack.

"It's the Doom Patrol … they were shot down in Africa." Nightwing replied. "The satellite shows that there was an explosion at the crash site."

He locked eyes with Raven. "They aren't responding and their transponder went offline. Raven … we don't know if there were any survivors."

_**-( scene break )-**_

Four figures shimmered into existence at the crash site, which was deep in the jungle, which smelled of burnt jet fuel, smoke and a sickening acrid aroma. There was wreckage strewn everywhere, along with countless fires.

Nightwing pointed to the largest fire, which dwarfed all the others. "That was the point of impact. Let's spread out. Move quickly! It could be the difference between life and death for a survivor." His voice sounded unconvincing.

Raven placed her fingertips on her chakra stone and closed her eyes, focusing intensely and she remained that way for several seconds, until her eyes popped open wide.

"I know where he is!" She shouted as she took off running.

Starfire began to run after her, only to be stopped by Cyborg, who grabbed her arm.

"Why do you stop me?"

Nightwing placed a hand on her shoulder. "Look around you, Star. He couldn't have survived this. When she finds him … she'll need so time to grieve, in private. Let's give her a few minutes, then we'll follow … and grieve with her."

The princess's jaw began to tremble. "Then, the hope, it is lost."

"Nightwing's right, there's no way he, or anyone, could have survived this."

_**-( scene break )-**_

Conjuring two machetes with her dark energy, Raven slashed through the foliage and bramble as she followed the weakened aura she was sensing. The jungle was sweltering hot and humid and she was drenched in her sweat as she continued to slash with swift arm motions. Her lungs felt as if they were going to burst and her heart was pounding like a jackhammer, but she refused to relent.

After a few minutes her perseverance paid off, as she saw a large chunk of the fuselage up ahead. She ran up to it and peered inside. There was a single seat, but it was unoccupied. She stepped out and focused, searching for him.

She found him, supine on the ground, just ten yards from the fuselage. She ran so fast that she almost tripped and fell. He was lying face down. With her heart in her throat she placed her hand on his neck and found a pulse. She gently turned him over. He groaned in pain and she saw why, a small shard from the fuselage was impaled in his abdomen and he has lost a lot of blood. Her first instinct was to remove it but she realized that was a job better left to someone better trained than her.

She placed her right hand on his abdomen and her blue light appeared. The wound was more than she could handle but it would buy precious time. With her left hand she pulled out her communicator and she noticed that her hand was shaking uncontrollably. Summoning all her willpower she steadied her hand and pressed the call button. Cyborg's face appeared.

"He's alive, but he's impaled." She croaked into the communicator.

"Don't try to remove it, I'm on my way." He replied.

"Raven…" A weak raspy voice spoke.

His eyes were open and his lips were caked with dried blood.

"Don't talk … help is coming." Her voice trembled.

"You came …"

She nodded her head vigorously as she gazed into his nearly lifeless orbs. "Of course I did."

His breathing was laborious.

"I'm so tired … I want … to sleep,"

Her eyes widened with alarm.

"Don't you dare close your eyes, Garfield Mark Logan … stay with me."

He paused as he continued to breathe.

"Raven … I … I forgive you."

Her face screwed with grief she squeaked her reply. "Thank you."

"I love you." He labored between breaths.

"I love you too … Gar … I'm so, so sorry. It'll never happen again, I promise."

He smiled. "Aqualad … he … he was … your bad boy … wasn't he?"

She grimaced. "No, no he wasn't." She cried. "He was nothing to me, absolutely nothing. All he'll ever be is a mistake."

"Raven … you're … my girl … right?"

"Always … forever." She fought back the tears.

Raven heard Cyborg's heavy footsteps announce his arrival.

"Whatever you do, keep that healing power flowing." The Tin Man instructed her. ""Hang in there B, you're gonna be fine, we just gotta get you stabilized and we'll get you teleported to the Watchtower."

Cyborg opened his med kit and inserted an IV line in his arm and started a saline solution. He inserted a second IV, this one connected to a blood packet."

"He's in shock, but he's stabilizing." He tapped his Justice League earpiece.

"Watchtower, I've got two to teleport. One is severely injured, have a trauma team ready."

"This is Watchtower; we're ready when you are."

Cyborg turned to Raven. "Go with him. Stay with your man." She nodded.

Cyborg tapped his earpiece a second time. "Ready."

Raven and Garfield began to shimmer and faded away from the crash site.

_**-( scene break )-**_

So you are probably wondering about the conversation Rita had with her son. My inspiration for that comes from real life. Believe it or not, I was once on the receiving end (like BB) of a conversation very similar to that one from someone who I once respected (though that person wasn't a former Hollywood starlet). Like Beast Boy, I didn't buy it either and I remained disappointed with that person, to this very day.

As for having Rita deliver it (along with her sordid background), that inspiration came from LamontCranston's "Love in Shades of Green and Gray"


	10. The Witch and the Blond

The view through the transparisteel windows was simply breathtaking. The Earth below glowed in its blue and green glory, the continents slipping by below as the Watchtower orbited the world that humankind called home.

Raven stared out the window, staring at the beauty that was the universe and at the same time meditating on its callousness, indifference and its outright cruelty. The universe didn't give breaks to good guys and to her perspective at the moment it seemed to do the opposite.

She learned earlier that the other members of the Doom Patrol escaped from the crash with minor injuries. There were at total of 15 passenger seats in the jet and Cliff pushed the ejection button while the jet careened out of control after a stealth missile took out most of the jet's right wing. Only 14 of the seats were ejected, all except for Garfield's seat, which malfunctioned and he went down with the airplane. It was a miracle that he wasn't killed. Nightwing told her that it could have been far worse. Had the missile hit the fuselage they would have all perished instantly.

After being checked and discharged by the Watchtower medical staff Mento returned to Earth with Larry and Cliff. Rita stayed behind and was sitting on a bench in the waiting area in the Watchtower's hospital level, talking with Nightwing. Over 4 hours had elapsed since Garfield went into surgery and Raven deliberately stayed away from Rita during that time, huddling by the window, where she could see the reflection of the woman she might have considered to be her mother in law in the past.

Starfire approached the sorceress and drew her into a gentle hug. "We must be patient, for he is in the good hands."

Before she could reply a sliding door opened, revealing a tired looking surgeon still dressed in his blood stained OR scrubs. Raven and Starfire drew near, and Cyborg, Nightwing and Rita rose from the bench and also approached the doctor.

"The surgery was a success, though his recovery will be slow. We have to remove almost four feet of his small intestine, which was simply beyond repair. He also had a ruptured spleen. Given the severity of the crash, it could have been much worse; for one thing he wasn't burned. One thing is certain, your intervention saved him, Miss Raven, you stopped the bleeding enough for him to make it to the OR."

Rita quickly glanced at the sorceress, but looked away before anyone noticed.

"Can we see him?" Raven asked.

"He's awake, but heavily sedated; so he won't be much of a conversationalist. Also for now it's better that we keep visitors to a minimum, perhaps we could start with family members first."

"I'm his mother." Rita announced "I'm the only family member here."

"Very well, Mrs. Dayton, if you'll follow me I'll …"

"That's not true." Raven interrupted.

Rita glared at the grey Titan. "I might be his adoptive mother, but I am his mother."

"That's not what I meant." Raven replied in her gravelly monotone. "What I was going to say is that I am also family."

Rita's glare intensified. "You are no such thing. You're his ex-girlfriend."

Raven glared back at the elastic woman. "I'm his common law wife."

Rita pshawed her disdain at Raven's claim. "He broke up with you. He has a new girlfriend."

"He's my estranged common law husband. But he's still my husband."

The doctor turned to the others. "Can anyone corroborate Raven's claim?"

Nightwing, Cyborg and Starfire raised their hands.

"Very well, you may come and see your husband, Miss Raven."

Rita's lips curled in anger. "You smart aleck witch … you and your friends think that you're so clever."

The doctor cleared his throat. "Perhaps we should defer visitation until later? The patient does not need to be subjected to this sort of stress."

"Forgive us doctor, we will behave, neither of us wants to disturb Garfield while he recovers." Raven responded before Rita could say anything.

The surgeon paused, clearly thinking it over. "Ok, but if you resume squabbling, I'm kicking both of you out, no exceptions."

"Of course, doctor, but before we go see him, I need to use the ladies' room." Rita replied in saccharine sweet voice.

"It's right over there." He pointed in its direction.

Rita smiled and scurried off to the restroom. Once inside she verified that all the stalls were empty and pulled out her Doom Patrol communicator.

"Steve, it's me … yes, they're done, he's OK … no I haven't seen him yet, I'm just about to go see him … uh huh, listen, you need to go find Jill and bring her here … yes, I know she doesn't have clearance … I don't know, make her an official member of the team, just get her up here … why? I'll tell you why, Raven's here and she's claiming to be his common law wife, that's why! … yes, I know, our lawyers can tear that claim to shreds, but that's not the point … I understand, just hurry, OK … I love you too, bye."

Rita emerged from the restroom with a smile on her face. "Sorry to keep you waiting."

The doctor led them to the changeling's room. The lights were dimmed and he didn't immediately notice their arrival. As he turned to leave the doctor whispered "20 minutes, that's all, he needs to rest."

Raven and Rita pulled up two chairs to the bedside and sat down. Raven noticed that Rita was tearing up at the sight of her adopted son in the Intensive Care Unit.

"He looked far worse at the crash site … I was terrified … I thought he was going to die." Raven whispered to her antagonistic mother in law.

"Raven … I know we have our differences … but thank you for saving him." She whispered back to the sorceress.

"I know … Rita … I do love him … I know I betrayed him, but …"

The changeling opened his eyes and smiled. "Hi." He rasped. "Mom … you're OK."

Rita leaned over and kissed his forehead. "Garfield, your ejector seat malfunctioned … Cliff is mortified, he was sure it was in good working order the last time he checked it.

"What happened?" He asked in a groggy voice. "You and I were talking … then I saw Raven."

Raven smiled at his remark, pleased that he remembered seeing her.

"Your jet was hit by a missile. We don't know who it was." Raven droned in her gravelly monotone. "Gar, do you remember what we talked about while we were waiting for help to arrive?"

"Sure I do … I forgave you."

Tears welled in her eyes. "Did you really mean it? You didn't say that just because … you thought you were going to die?"

He gently shook his head. "No, I meant it."

"You also said that I'm your girl." She whispered softly.

"You are my girl … don't you know that?"

Rita balled one of her fists, but kept it concealed at her side. "Garfield … your father is bringing Jill to see you."

He turned his focus to his mother. "Why?" He replied.

"Why? She's your girlfriend, dear. She's worried sick about you."

"My girlfriend? No … not anymore … she was cheating on me."

"Garfield, I already explained this to you; she's breaking up with Tony."

"She was sleeping with him, when we supposed to be a couple … and after she knew what Raven did to me … how could she?"

Raven's heart sank into her feet upon hearing those words. He might have forgiven her, but he hadn't forgotten what she did.

"Gar, I am so sorry about that. I know I will never be able to make up for the pain I caused you. It's a burden that will haunt me for the rest of my life." Raven squeaked in small, contrite voice

He smiled at her. "It's OK Rave … and I'm sorry I got so angry with you."

Raven took his hand and kissed it. "Don't be sorry. You had every right to be furious with me. What I did was despicable. I don't deserve your forgiveness."

He shook his head. "But I provoked you … I was a total ass at the Ball. I wanted to embarrass you, humiliate you … I wanted to hurt you … and I did. Raven, will you please forgive me?"

Raven took his hand and kissed it again, her tears dripping onto him. "Of course I do." She replied, her voice warbling with emotion. "Gar, I swear by Azar, I'll be faithful to you from now on … please, will you please take me back? … I need you … I can't live without you." She whimpered.

Rita's eyes widened with alarm. This was bad, very bad.

Garfield smiled. "Rae, I already told you, you're my girl … sure, we still have some things to work out, we're gonna have to start over, you know, from the beginning, but yeah … you're my girlfriend now."

Raven began to bawl uncontrollably. Rita bit her lip as she took in the scene. After sobbing for a few minutes, Raven turned to her, her gray face stained with her tears.

"I know you don't like me, but I promise to be good to him."

Rita's eyes narrowed as she locked her gaze with Raven. "I'm going to hold you to that promise." She then lowered her voice and whispered into Raven's ear, so that Garfield couldn't hear her. "But don't think I've given up … I haven't even begun to fight back ... witch."

Their clandestine conversation ended when the doctor returned.

"I need to check his stitches." He informed them in a professional voice.

The doctor gently pulled back the blanket and lifted his hospital gown, exposing his abdomen. He removed the bandages, handing them to a nurse who suddenly appeared. Rita winced at the sight. His abdomen looked heavily bruised and there were three huge stitches, not counting the ones inside, where the doctor had to sew what was left of his guts back together.

"I can help." Raven remarked softly as she laid her hands on his abdomen.

"Rave, stop, you'll hurt yourself." The changeling protested.

"I'll be OK … this will help you heal faster."

Rita was unfamiliar with Raven's healing powers, and she watched, mesmerized, as the wounds began to heal before her eyes.

"Raven … that's … amazing." Rita remarked breathlessly.

Rita looked up from Garfield's abdomen onto the gray girl's face and gasped. There were cuts on Raven's face.

"Raven … what happened to you?"

"Young lady, that'll be enough, you're going to harm yourself." The doctor admonished her. Raven obeyed him and desisted, collapsing back into her chair, panting heavily from the expended effort.

Rita turned to the doctor. "I don't understand … what happened?"

The doctor frowned as he examined the wounds on the witch's face. "Miss Raven can transfer injuries to her body. That's how she heals people. It's a technique I disapprove of, of course."

Rita stared dumbfound into Raven's wounded face, which slowly began to heal itself.

"D-does that hurt?" She stammered.

Raven locked eyes with her. "It's excruciatingly painful."

"Raven … I … I don't know what to say."

Raven rose from her chair, and stood face to face with Rita and with her back to Garfield. The still unhealed cuts of her face screamed their defiance at Rita.

"Do you still think I'm not good enough for him?" Raven whispered.

_**-( scene break )-**_

The others waited patiently, but with some trepidation for Raven and Rita to return, periodically checking the clock on the wall in the waiting room. As if synchronized by clockwork the sliding doors opened when 20 minutes had passed, and the doctor exited, followed by a subtly smiling sorceress and a frowning elastic woman.

"I'm sorry, he needs to rest. You can see him in three hours." The doctor curtly announced and turned heel to leave before anyone could protest his decision.

Starfire and Raven looked at each other and the gray demoness broke out into a huge grin and ran to Starfire, wrapping her arms around her.

"You were right Starfire, you were right!" Raven gushed as in a strange twist of events she pulled Starfire into if not a bone crushing hug, at least a powerful one by tiny Raven's standards.

"I was?" The princess asked, until the context of Raven's remark sank in. "You are now the couple again?"

"Yes!" Raven beamed. "He did forgive me and told me that I was his girl!"

"Oh Raven, did I not tell you he would forgive you? This is glorious! The mistake will now be forgotten and all will be as before!"

Raven slouched while still in Starfire's embrace.

"Raven, is something wrong? Did I say something unpleasant?"

She shook her head. "No you didn't. But I don't want to go back to the dysfunctional relationship I had with Gar. We're going to start over from scratch and that won't be easy, not with Garth's ghost always hovering over me. Starfire … this is going to be a difficult burden for me to deal with … the guilt of my infidelity will haunt me forever."

Starfire looked at her friend in the eyes, her smile was warm and comforting and Raven suddenly felt safe in her presence.

"Raven … your beloved has forgiven you … it is time to forgive yourself."

"How can I do that when I'm so afraid that I will fail him again?"

"You will not. Raven, forgive yourself, but do not forget. He has removed the burden of guilt from your back with his forgiveness, do not pick it back up and carry it again, for it does no good. You have been given a second chance, few are so fortunate. Do not waste it."

Raven smiled. "Thank you Starfire. You are very wise. I'm lucky to have such a wonderful friend like you."

As the two women separated they heard footsteps approaching in the hallway outside the waiting room, one pair was very heavy and sounded like Cyborg, who was already present in the room. The sliding door opened and Mento entered and joined his wife, exchanging hushed words. Larry and Cliff were next and finally a petite blond girl, no taller than Raven, followed them in.

Raven and Jillian locked eyes while Negativeman and Robotman exchanges pleasantries with Nightwing and Cyborg. The blond girl slowly approached the sorceress. Starfire stepped aside but remained next to Raven. Jill stopped right in front of the gray girl and all eyes in the room were suddenly upon them. Neither girl said a word. Instead they appeared to be sizing each other up. Finally Jill broke the silence.

"You must be Raven … you look different than in the pictures I've seen."

"I'm not very photogenic, but I could say the same about you. You came to see Garfield, I presume."

"Yes, I came to see how my boyfriend's doing. I heard you saved his life. I suppose I should thank you."

"You're welcome, but I have two bits of bad news."

"And what would that be?" Jillian replied with a hint of a sneer.

"First of all, no one can see him for 3 hours. You have a long wait ahead of you."

"Is he OK? Has anyone seen him yet?"

"He's recovering in the ICU. So far only Rita and I have seen and talked with him."

"You got to see him? Why? I'm his girlfriend!"

Raven smiled as she replied. "That's the other bit of bad news. You aren't his girlfriend anymore … I am."

A "deer in the headlights" look overtook Jillian.

"What did you say?" Jillian growled after recovering from the shock.

"You're out … I'm back in. Sorry sister, I've come back to claim what's mine."

"Yours? You wish!" Jillian snarled. "He's mine! He's my boyfriend, my lover. You had your chance and you blew it."

"You mean he was yours … as in past tense … you don't believe me? Ask Rita, she was there."

Jill turned to the older woman. "Rita … what is she talking about? She's lying, right?"

Rita sighed but did not respond.

"Rita!? Say something!" Jillian howled.

"I'm sorry Jill, but it's true." Rita conceded. "I heard Garfield say so himself."

"No way … no freaking way … he's mine … I've waited ten long years for him. You can't take him from me. You can't. He was mine before he was yours."

"Don't be upset Jillian … I'm sure Tony will take you back." Raven smirked.

Jill froze in her tracks. "What did you say?"

"You heard me. Tony, the guy you were two timing Gar with. Or have you forgotten about him already?"

Jill became livid. "How? How did you know? Were you spying on me, witch? Because if you were …"

"Who, me? I learned about Tony from Gar. How he found out, I have no idea, but it wasn't me."

Jill kicked a chair over and stormed out of the room, followed by Rita who stopped at the door.

"I hope you're happy, witch." Rita shouted as she stormed out. Mento chased after her. Larry and Cliff reluctantly followed and stopped at the door. Larry turned to Raven. "Say hi to the kid when he wakes up and tell him we'll stop by to see him later."

Robotman nodded. "To tell you the truth, I never liked Jill. Good luck kid."

Raven grinned as her friends crowded around and congratulated her. "Am I Happy? I'm delirious."

"Way to go little lady … booyah!"

Nightwing pulled her into a hug. "Congrats Raven, I'm so happy for you."

"Thank you." She replied as she pecked him on the cheek. "Thanks for not turning your backs on me, after what I did. I didn't just hurt Gar, I hurt all of you. And for that I'm so sorry."

"Hey, if the grass stain forgives you how can I not forgive you? So what's next on the agenda, anyway?"

"Jillian is probably going to return in three hours to talk with Garfield. She isn't going to give up that easily. Hopefully once he tells her it's over she'll get the message. Also, I'd like to stay here until Gar is ready to come home, if that's OK with you, Dick."

"Take all the time you need. And when you're ready to come home, we'll have a big party."

Raven smiled sheepishly. "If it's all the same, could we skip the party? The last party we had at home … it didn't work so great for me … and besides, Gar and I have a lot of things to work out still. We're going to start over and hopefully this time it will be better."

"So what will you do differently this time?"

Raven smiled. "The first thing I'm going to do is go to the Tower's roof and shout as loud as I can that Garfield Mark Logan is my boyfriend and that I love him."

_**-( scene break )-**_

Next chapter … Jill and BB will have a chat.

In the show Raven only used her healing powers twice. Once when Beast Boy hurt his leg fighting Jinx and her pre-Hive 5 gang and the other time when Robin broke his arm (though that was done off camera).

In the comics Raven did a lot of healing and her healing power was as explained in hospital scene: she would absorb the victim's injuries and they would appear on her body, which would quickly dispel them into the void. It was very taxing for her to do that, but she was very selfless.

For those who haven't had a chance to read the classic 1980's New Teen Titans comics that the show was loosely based on, Raven was VERY different in the comics. She was tall, Caucasian and had dark hair. She did have her chakra stone and wore her blue cape and hood (which had two clasps instead of just one like in the show.) What she wore under the cape varied. She usually wore a long blue dress with long slits on the side, though in the 2000's she sometimes wore a unitard. I can only remember once when she wore a leotard like in the show. Her powers were also somewhat different. She didn't have the telekinesis powers that were her ubiquitous trademark in the show. She could teleport, fly, absorb people's emotions and she could leave her using her soul self. Her soul self could be very dangerous and at one time she hallucinated and thought that Kid Flash, who was her love interest at the time (I know … ewww!), was Trigon almost killed him using her soul self. Needless to say, poor Wally moved on and it wasn't for another 30 years in comic book land until Raven and Beast Boy became a couple.


	11. Penance

"Jillian! Slow down!"

The blond picked up the pace and walked faster.

"You're in a space station! Where exactly are you running? There's nowhere to go".

Again, she ignored Rita and with her teeth clenched she began to run, that is until she felt a hand large enough to belong to King Kong wrap itself around her torso.

"I said stop! Dammit!"

Rita retracted her oversized arm and hand, reeling in the runaway girl. Mento and the others caught up with them as Rita had recovered her.

"It's OK Steve, Jill and I are going to have a heart to heart regarding Garfield. I'm sure you have work to do at home."

Mento nodded. "Actually, we do, a lot actually. Are you sure you've got this under control?"

"Everything is fine. Jill is a just a bit distraught, but after we've chatted she'll be fine, leave it to me."

Mento smiled. "I guess it's your department, I'll see you later at home."

Rita waved goodbye as the men boarded an elevator and headed off to the main level, where the teleporters were located. She then turned to Jillian and gave her a bone chilling glare.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Jillian was fighting back the tears. "What am I doing? It's over!"

"You sure give up easily."

"What are you talking about? Gar knows I was fooling around behind his back!"

Rita shook her head dismissively. "No, you weren't."

"Uh … yes I was, I'm still sleeping with Tony."

Rita wrapped an arm around her.

"Have you slept with Tony since you slept with Garfield?"

"Well no … I mean … hey! How do you know that?"

"I make it my business to know … Jillian, we're coming back in three hours to talk with him and contrary to what you might think not all hope is lost, in fact, I would say that overall situation is still in your favor, though you have complicated things by telling him you were a virgin … what were you thinking, child?"

Jill suddenly looked bewildered.

"Rita … what the hell … how do you …"

"I already told you, it's my business to know, especially about any woman who gets close to my son."

Jill gave the woman a disgusted look. "What are you, some kind of stalker?"

Rita laughed, and it wasn't a nice laugh.

"Oh dear child, would you stop to think for just a minute? I'm a superhero and a billionaire. Do you really think that I'm not going to have you investigated before I let you get close to my boy?"

"You mean you just hired some detectives to check me out when I started dating Gar again? And you had them spy on us while we had sex?"

"No, I didn't need anyone to spy on you that night, because by then I already knew you well enough to know that if I told Gar to stay with you one night that you wouldn't ask him to sleep on the couch. Why do you think I suggested he stay with you that night?"

Jill was now becoming livid. "Just how long have you been spying on me?"

"Spying is such a harsh word, Jill. Think of it more like 'keeping tabs' on you. As for how long? Well, since you met him ten years ago, though when he left and went to Jump City we did ignore you for a while, that is until you and Garfield started exchanging letters. And when you went off to college, which was around the same time as when the witch got my son into her clutches, we increased the surveillance."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes dear, I'm serious. And, I know everything about you, everything, including that Spring Break in Barbados when you had sex with five different guys … on the beach too, at least with one of them; he was a cutie … what was his name … Mark? … Very gutsy and uninhibited too, if I might add. It certainly doesn't square with the sweet girl next door image you cultivated with Garfield in your letters, and before you ask, yes I've seen them all."

Jill looked as she was about to cry. "What do want from me?"

Rita smiled. "I want you to keep my son away from that witch."

"And how am I supposed to do that now? And how did he find out about Tony? I always meet Tony at his place, Gar couldn't have possibly known about him."

Rita sighed. "I'm afraid that's my fault, dear."

"WHAT! You told him about Tony? ARE YOU NUTS!?"

"I made a mistake."

"I'll say you did, why the hell did you tell him? I was getting ready to dump Tony."

"Yes dear, I know … listen … I have nothing against women having a good time, in fact I think it's a good thing that you've many sexual partners. But until you bedded him, my Garfield was monogamous, even if it was with the witch. I just wanted him to play around before he settled down, possibly with you. You weren't my first choice to be his girlfriend, but you were available and willing at the time, plus you have a history with him."

Rita patted the girl on the shoulder.

"So like I said, I made a mistake. Instead of deciding to fool around once he learned the truth about you he dug his heels in and went back to the witch."

"Yeah, thanks a lot, Rita."

"Now, now, don't get catty with me. We still have an ace in the hole."

"And what would that be?"

"Technically, you never cheated on him because you didn't become a couple until a few days ago when you slept with him, whereas Raven most definitely did. He caught her, red handed, in their bed, having sex with another man."

Jill brightened and nodded. "I see, that is bad. So why did he take her back?"

Rita grumbled. "They've been sleeping together for five years, plus she's very good at playing sorry and remorseful. As for what you are going to do three hours from now, you're going to apologize to him for lying about being a virgin. He only knows about Tony and your four prior boyfriends. He knows nothing about your college day romps in the hay and …"

Rita paused and frowned. "He doesn't know about your boss."

Jill's mouth went dry. "I've asked Matt to be discrete …" She stammered.

"And he has, because we told him to keep his mouth shut. We know you slept with him to move ahead at the firm. Fortunately we own the firm and we're promoting Matt to new position at another one of our businesses, with the understanding that he never knew you. By the way, you did a good job of keeping that hidden, an affair with a married man who was your boss. Our detectives almost missed it … almost."

"You must think I'm a slut."

"Sweetheart, I was a movie star in my youth. How do you think starlets land their first roles in a film? Using sex to get ahead is as old as time itself. Oh, and by the way, you're getting promoted, you're getting Matt's old job, and that includes a big pay raise."

"I am?"

"Yes, you are. Listen dear, you play your role in this drama and you will be rewarded, handsomely. And who knows, you might even become my daughter in law someday."

Jill heaved a huge sigh, clearly overwhelmed with everything she just heard.

"So what do we do until we can see Gar? We have almost 3 hours to kill. I'm gonna go crazy waiting that long."

Rita patted her again one her shoulders. "We're going to practice your lines."

"My lines?"

"Yes, your lines. Great performances always require a good rehearsal; I learned that in Hollywood, in case you're wondering."

_**-( scene break )-**_

The waiting room was quiet. Starfire was napping, with her head resting in Nightwing's lap while he read a report on a datapad. Cyborg had wandered off to the space station's commissary, hoping to find something to eat, while Raven hovered in the Lotus position, her eyes closed and looking as serene as a Zen Master.

The scene of tranquility was shattered when Rita and Jillian stormed into the room, bantering happily as they entered. Nightwing looked up from his datapad. Starfire lifted her head from his lap and yawned while Raven jerked out of her meditative state, hastily landing on her feet. Jill locked eyes with Raven and grinned as she and Rita headed for the changeling's hospital room.

"Now it's my turn, witch. Maybe you should call up Aqualad and ask him to take you back, cuz when I come back out, Gar will be mine again." She taunted the sorceress as she and Rita disappeared down a hallway.

Raven frowned, but said nothing. Starfire got up from the couch and consoled her friend. "You have nothing to fear. He has forgiven you and reconciled with you. The Jillian is wasting her time."

Raven looked nervously down the hallway and watched the two women vanished into his room.

_**-( scene break )-**_

"Garfield? Are you awake?" Rita spoke gently as she tried to rouse him from his sleep. "Wakey, wakey!"

The changeling stirred as he slowly began to wake up.

"Raven?" He moaned.

Rita frowned. "No dear, it's me, your mother."

He opened his eyes and blinked. "Oh … hi mom."

Rita smiled sweetly. "I brought someone to see you, someone special."

Jillian pulled up a chair and sat down at the changeling's bedside. "Oh Gar, I was so worried about you!"

Still groggy, he looked at her and frowned. "Jill?"

"I came as soon as I heard what happened … oh Gar … look at you!"

"Jill … why are you here?"

"Why? You're my boyfriend! Why else would I be here?"

Now more lucid, the changeling pressed a button, raising the back of his bed, leaving him in a partially upright position.

"Jill … why did you lie to me … I wouldn't have cared had you told me the truth."

She took his hand and caressed it.

"I'm sorry, I was just afraid that you'd get the wrong idea and think that I'm one of those loose and wild girls. I have slept with other guys but they were my boyfriends at the time."

Rita smirked.

"You sure had a lot of them … you never told me about them in your letters."

"I know … I'm sorry. But Gar, you know I haven't cheated on you, right? I broke up with Tony before we …"

She glanced at Rita.

"… you know."

He frowned. "You should have told me that you were seeing someone. I know what it's like to have my girl stolen from me; I'd never want to do that to anyone."

"I wasn't cheating on Tony; I broke up with him before we spent the night together. And I'd never, ever cheat on you. I'm not like Raven."

His frown became a glare. "You leave her out of this!"

"But she cheated on you, with Aqualad, in your own bed."

He cocked his head and his nostrils flared angrily. "Where?"

"In your bed, you told me, remember?"

"I never told you that." He turned to his mother. "But I did tell you … what's going on here?"

"Garfield … what are you talking about?"

"Leave. Raven. Alone."

Rita glared at him. "Garfield, why are you still obsessed with that whore of a witch?"

"Get out, both of you!"

"But Garfield …" Jill pleaded.

"Be quiet, Jill. I don't like you or the way you think. You're a liar and a slut."

"Be quiet, boy! Can't you see we're trying to save you from making a huge mistake?" Rita thundered.

He didn't respond and instead pressed the intercom button.

"Yes, can I help you?" The disembodied voice buzzed.

"Could you send someone to escort my visitors out?"

"Someone will be right there." The nurse replied.

Rita glared at Garfield. "Let's go Jill. I'm not going to be thrown out like a hooligan!"

The two women left immediately. Moments later an orderly arrived.

"Thanks, they already left ... would you mind sending Raven in?"

"Sure, no problem."

Moments later Raven entered the room.

"You aren't supposed to be sitting up yet." She remarked as she lowered the back of his bed. "And what happened? Rita and Jillian looked like they were sucking on lemons. And you look upset too."

"They called you a whore … so I threw them out."

Raven sat down on the chair, suddenly looking forlorn. "They aren't entirely wrong, you know."

"You don't know my mother, do you? And you're not a whore."

Raven sat up straight. "I'm not following you."

"She's the whore, not you."

Raven looked puzzled. "Your mother? A whore?"

"She's not my mother."

"I know, she's your adoptive mother. But … uh … why is she a whore?"

The changeling looked uncomfortable upon hearing the question.

"It's OK, Gar, you don't have to answer."

He shook his head. "No, you have a right to know. Raven … you know that Rita was a movie when she was young, right?"

"She was a minor one, more of a starlet than a star. She was very pretty. I imagine that had she not become Elastigirl she probably would have gone far … are you saying that she's a whore because she was a star?"

"No, I know that they aren't all like that, but most are and she was one of them. We were talking before the jet crashed … she was telling me that I should "fool around" before settling down."

"Fool around? You mean like hooking up?"

"Exactly."

Raven shook her head. "That's weird advice, coming from a mother."

"It gets worse … when I said I wasn't interested she told me that before she married Steve that had lots of lovers and that she enjoyed it and has no regrets."

"Ok, that's disturbing." Raven added. "How does Mento feel about that?"

"She claims that he doesn't care and that she isn't a slut since she's been faithful to him since they got married."

Raven furrowed her brow as she rubbed her chin. "So she claims that she gave up casual sex cold turkey on her wedding night? I … find that hard to believe."

"So do I."

Raven shrugged her shoulders. "Well, that is all very unsettling, but what can we do about it? What if Mento really doesn't care?"

"He might not care about what she did before; I mean … he's married to an ex-movie star, right? You'd kind of expect that she's been around the block a few times … but …"

He paused, unable to complete his sentence.

"You think she's continued with her Hollywood hookups after getting married?" Raven asked.

He shrugged. "It's possible. She goes out of town a lot when the Doom Patrol isn't on missions and now that the team is semi-retired, she goes out of town a lot more … she mostly goes to LA, supposedly shopping … she does bring a lot of stuff back … Steve doesn't seem to bat an eyelash ... Raven?"

"Yes?"

"If we could find out something, we could get her off our backs, for good."

"You mean blackmail? Why do that when we could just ignore her?"

He frowned. "No way, if she's cheating on Steve I want her to stop."

"Well, I guess I see your point, but how do we catch her?"

He grinned. "Before we left for Africa, I heard her talking on the phone. She's going to LA this weekend, some charity event or something. She wouldn't miss that for the world."

"How would we bust her? You're still bedridden and I stand out like a sore thumb, not to mention that I have zero detective skills."

He grinned. "Rae, our fearless leader was trained by the greatest detective in the world. I'm sure he'd love to help out."

Raven nodded. "I'll bring him in here so we can discuss it … but before I do that, Gar, there's something I want to ask you." She asked in an uneasy tone.

"Sure, what is it?"

She sighed unhappily. "A few hours ago Jill claimed to be your lover … is … is that true?"

His ears drooped. "It's true … I'm sorry Raven … I don't know what to say."

"You don't owe me any apologies … you broke up with me … you were very clear about that, you were in your rights to … find a new lover."

He took her hand. "No, it was the wrong thing to do, I only did it to forget about you, but it didn't work. When I was with her … I was thinking about you. I even called out you name once … she didn't hear though, she would have killed me."

His face turned melancholic. "I really wish I hadn't done that. Will you forgive me?"

She cupped his face with her tiny palm and kissed him.

"There's nothing to forgive."

She fidgeted with her fingers before continuing.

"Gar … I threw out the old mattress and sheets and got new ones for us."

"You did? … Oh, yeah … I guess that makes sense. About that, there's something I've been thinking about. When we get home and officially "start over" our relationship … I … I think we should be celibate at first, at least for a while."

"Celibate?" She nearly choked. "Gar, we've been lovers for five years."

"I know, but if we're really gonna start over then we need to work our way back to that level of intimacy."

"But we started making love three weeks after you told me you loved me."

"I know, Raven, but I think that was a mistake to rush into it so soon."

She frowned at him. "So how long are you going to make us wait?"

He shrugged his shoulders and grinned. "I dunno, maybe our honeymoon?"

"Ha!" She laughed triumphantly. "I'm already your common law wife."

"The state of California doesn't recognize common law marriages." He smirked.

"Don't get smart with me, buster." She smiled.

"Oh, I'd never do that."

Raven chuckled lightly. "OK, we'll wait, but when we're ready, I'm promising you a magic carpet ride you won't ever forget."

He kissed her. "I'm counting on it."

_**-( scene break )-**_

So, how long do you think the Chromatically Challenged Couple™ will remain in celibate bliss?


	12. Platonic Love

Los Angeles International Airport, or LAX as it was commonly known, was a busy airport. It was a gateway airport to not only to the USA but to the orient and Latin America. While not the busiest airport in the USA it still the sixth busiest airport in the world and was teeming with passengers, both arriving and departing, a never ending stream of humanity, a place to blend in and not be noticed when you arrived, one of sixty million passengers who would step through its terminals.

A commuter flight arrived, on schedule, midday. It was one of the nearly two thousand commercial flights that arrived daily. It was a small passenger jet, known in the airline lingo as a "CRJ", a commercial regional jet which had a capacity for only 70 passengers and was designed for short routes. It pulled up to the gate, which inside the terminal had one of those ubiquitous programmable electric signs over the door, which indicated from where the plane had come. The sign flashed in red the words "Jump City".

After the airplane was secured and the jetway docked with its hatch that the stream of passengers disembarked. It was the usual hodgepodge group of passengers you'd see on any flight. There were of course business travelers, some attired in business suits, no doubt in town to make sales calls while others were dressed in business casual. There were families with small children, some in town to visit Disneyland and touristic destinations. There were of course those whose traveled solo, such as military personnel on leave and other single individuals, including a nun attired in her penguin garb.

And then there were the couples. They seemed to be the smallest group disembarking and no one noticed one couple in particular. He was of medium size, he was wearing jeans and a polo shirt and his eyes were shielded behind sunglasses. He had a very well toned build which a few young women noticed and even politely gawked at as he walked through the terminal. His traveling companion was petit and well shaped. She wore a tight pair of jeans and a long sleeved T-Shirt. She wore a baseball cap with her hair bunched inside it and wore a liberal amount of makeup on her face and she also wore shades. Had anyone taken a closer look at her they might have noticed that her hands and the back of her neck were gray and the few stray hairs that poked out from under her Jump City Javelin's baseball cap were violet, but no one did, everyone was too busy coming from or going to someplace.

They made their way through the airport, passing baggage claim as each one was carrying a small backpack and went straight to the rental car counter where he handed his ID to the clerk.

"Ah yes, Mr. Anderson, your car is ready … a GMC Yukon as you requested."

Nightwing signed the rental papers and the clerk returned his credit card and undercover ID to him, along with the keys to the SUV. Nightwing thanked him and with Raven in tow, the stepped outside, to wait for the shuttlebus, which arrived within a minute. The ride to the parking lot was quick and soon they were inside the cavernous sport utility vehicle.

"This isn't what I would expect you to rent." She remarked as she pulled her baseball cap off, allowing her purple locks to flow again freely.

He pulled a datapad out of his backpack and began to tap on it. "What were you expecting? A flashy sports car?"

"Actually, yes."

He snickered. "An SUV is ideal for missions like this. First of all, it doesn't stand out; we're just another soccer mom in the crowd. But I also like being up high, it gives you a better vantage point in a stake out, makes it easier to see. They also have big engines and they work off road should the need arise."

She smiled. "Working with you is always an education."

"Well, I'm not just a pretty face."

"I'll have to ask Starfire about that someday."

"You do that." He replied as he studied the datapad. "Her private jet left La Guardia 40 minutes ago, according to the flight plan she's headed for Long Beach Airport, should arrive in 4 and half hours … makes sense, it's uncrowded and it's close to her event and hotel."

"How did you get access to her flight plan? Isn't that confidential information?" Raven asked.

Dick turned the key and started the SUV, pulling it out of the parking lot stall.

"Babs got it for me. There isn't a system she can't hack."

The SUV pulled out of the garage into the bright southern California day.

"Rita's staying at the nearby Ritz Carlton, in a $3000 a night suite."

Babs, AKA Barbara Gordon. Since she was shot and crippled by the Joker just a year before she had become "Oracle", Batman's eyes and ears in Gotham. Before that she was Batgirl and she and Dick worked side by side as the Dark Knight's official sidekicks. Babs was a few years older than Dick and that made a difference when they were underage heroes.

But when he went back to Gotham on a mission after having a big fight with Starfire, he and Barbara found that the age difference was no longer relevant as they were now both in their mid twenties. The end result was an event that continued to haunt him to this very day.

"Do you think she'll have her rendezvous there tonight?"

He shook his head. "I doubt it. The staff there knows who she is. There would be no privacy. If she's cheating, she'll do it someplace else, if this is something she does on a regular basis, she probably has a condo."

"You think she does?" Raven asked.

"Babs tried to find one. Of course it wouldn't be under her name. It's most likely a rental, the rent paid anonymously in advance in cash and no questions asked, plus she could move periodically to not leave a trail. So we'll have to tail her."

"You seem to know a lot about this … and thanks for helping, I wouldn't have had a clue."

"It's a common tactic used by criminals who don't want to be found … let's grab a bite, we have a long day ahead of us."

Dick pulled the Yukon into a Mexican fast food drive through. They ordered lunch, paid for it and after receiving it he pulled into a parking space while Raven rummaged through the bag and handed him his burrito and drink. They ate in silence, until Raven spoke up.

"Dick … we have something in common, and I don't mean that we're both Titans."

He took a swig of his soda. "You mean we're guilty of the same sin?"

"Yeah … we are … you and Starfire seem to have put it behind you."

"It's been a challenge for both of us, but especially for her."

"I imagine so … Dick, forgive me for prying … but … what happened? Why did you fight? The two of you get along so well … and … why did you cheat?"

Dick pursed his lips.

"I'm sorry, what was I thinking? Please forget I asked that." She quickly backpedaled.

He turned to her and with a very severe expression on his face he replied.

"I'll show you mine if you show me yours."

Raven considered his offer. Opening up and exposing her very soul was not something she relished … but she always felt safe with Dick, she did from the day she met him, when he was a young teen hero called Robin.

"Agreed … and whatever is shared here, stays here … so who goes first?" She asked.

"I will" He replied. "Raven … you know that I love Starfire, I really do … but being with her has its challenges."

He took a bite of his burrito and washed it down with a swig of his cola drink.

"Star's beautiful, smart and sweet."

"I've noticed that over the years." She remarked with a smirk.

"Yeah, it's obvious … but what isn't so obvious is that she isn't really human. According to Cyborg human and Tamaranian DNA overlaps by about 93%, so even though she looks human, she really isn't all, our human DNA is much more similar to an ape's DNA to hers."

"So you're saying that there are differences that aren't obvious." She replied.

"There's a lot of them, many which are only obvious when you become more emotionally and physically intimate. For starters there is the psychology. Star is of a warrior race, Raven. Tamaranians aren't bullies; they've never started a war. But their brains work differently than ours. Remember at the wedding banquet, how brusque they were? How they fought over food scraps like dogs, even though there was more than enough to go around?"

"I do remember that."

"Tamaranians expect their mates to be very aggressive. They really aren't into caressing or foreplay. Remember, she learned to kiss as an expression of affection here on Earth."

"I see." She replied. "But I'm guessing the two of you have made progress on that front."

"We have, but the differences … they aren't just mental, they're physical too. And I'm not just talking about her superior physical strength, which she does have to restrain otherwise she would injure me during our moments of intimacy."

Raven removed her sunglasses and he did the same. Her indigo eyes locked with his and he read her unspoken message: You're OK, it's safe, you can tell me.

"Raven … there are … plumbing issues."

She took his hand and squeezed it.

"Tamaranian men … they're longer and narrower than humans … it's been challenging to say the least. I'm fairly well endowed by human standards and it's very, very hard to penetrate her. I have a box of K-Y lubricant in my room."

Raven listened politely but said nothing.

"So the bottom line is that we have to work really, really hard at giving each other pleasure, and more often than not, we fail. I can't penetrate her deeply enough. I slather myself with K-Y but it doesn't help. And even when we did have a good night she'd start shouting "deeper, deeper!" … Raven … I'm only human, I give her everything I've got … but it isn't enough. Raven, she's never had a real orgasm with me."

Dick began to tear up and Raven was still holding his hand, gripping it tightly.

"So one day I snapped and I yelled that couldn't go any deeper. That was a mistake, we began to argue. We were in her room so I dressed and left. We didn't speak to each other outside of work for weeks. Then Batman contacted me for the first time in years. He asked me to come give him a hand. I was so eager to get out of the Tower at the time, to get away from her that I didn't even ask what the mission was, I just went."

"And so you connected with Barbara?"

"Right, she changed a lot since I last saw her. She was a knockout and when she found out that I was unattached again she wasted no time. The chemistry was there. In hindsight I never loved her and never achieved true intimacy with her but …"

"But?"

"Oh Raven, she's a good fuck, a really, really good fuck. I mean, it would have been good enough to have sex with a woman that I actually fit correctly with but from a purely physical perspective she was exquisite. We had sex every day, more than once. Then the mission was over and I didn't know what was next. Batman thanked me and said it was time to return to my team."

He heaved a sigh. "I asked Babs if she'd like to join the Titans. She said no … she said that she had a great time but that she wasn't in love with me and wasn't looking for a commitment, at least not yet … had she come to Jump the Joker would have never shot her."

Raven leaned over and pecked him on the cheek. "So you came home, broken hearted with an angry ex waiting for you."

"Yeah, and it got worse … Barbara bragged to someone in the Justice League about fucking me. It spread like wildfire and Star found out."

"Yes, I remember that, it took you guys quite a while to work that all out."

"Star was devastated. Sure, we had officially broken up … but … you know …break ups aren't really 100%. We call our former spouses and girlfriends our ex's. There's a reason for that, the bond, while diminished and damaged, is still very real. It took a long time to address all the emotional issues, for both of us."

"What about the physical issues?" Raven asked.

He blushed upon her question. "You're probably going to think that this is really weird or kinky, but Cyborg helped us out there. He … uh … manufactured a prosthetic device … one that's compatible with both of us. I … uh … slip it on over my erect penis, and I insert the prosthetic part into her … vagina. It transfers sensation both ways … it works very well ... for both of us, though it took some time at first to get used to it, at least for me."

Raven snickered. "He made you an adaptor … sorry … that was insensitive. And no, I don't think it's weird or kinky … I 'm happy that you and Starfire are finally able to share physical pleasure."

He laughed. "Actually, that is funny … Raven … thanks for listening, I haven't discussed this with anyone. Cy made me the prosthetic in his lab, so he knows but … I haven't talked with him about it, especially not about inviting Babs to join the team. No one knows that, not even Star."

"It's a good thing that Barbara lives in Gotham, far away from here." She remarked.

"Raven, there's one more thing, since I bared my soul to you … had you been available at the time … I think I would have approached you instead of running to Gotham."

Raven became very silent upon hearing his words. She looked up at him, her eyes looking remorseful.

"I have thought of you that way too … rarely … but I have … let's just be glad it never came to that, I probably would have declined out of deference to Starfire anyway, but who knows … but thanks for telling me … it means a lot to me, and now that it's my turn to share you'll understand why."

Raven shifted her small figure in her front seat, betraying the slight unease she was feeling.

"It's no secret to anyone that I had a crappy relationship with Gar. You were all quiet and polite and never said anything nor asked."

She paused and fidgeted with her fingers.

"I love him, there's no denying it, though I did deny it, all the time. Why? Because I was uncomfortable with myself. I didn't like myself so I made sure that the relationship would be dysfunctional, to punish myself. Unfortunately I also punished him in the process."

"The only leeway I allowed for was for sex. I am a half demoness and my lust is beyond anything humans could comprehend or even imagine, it's one of the reasons I had to meditate so much, to keep it in check. I satiated myself with him, it was like drinking from an endless cup, he never stopped giving. Deep down it made me happy to know I could please him and he pleased me."

"He's a fantastic lover, probably even better than Barbara. He was able to satisfy my deep, dark desires … but … he was more than that … much more. He taught me the meaning of tenderness, of affection. I rarely displayed those traits outside of our bedroom, and especially not to him, if anything I compensated in the opposite direction by treating him like crap. But when I was with him, in intimate embrace I felt loved. His kisses were so sweet and tender, I would, at least for a while, forget that I'm a monster and I would just be a woman, making love with her man. I felt a oneness with him, as if our bodies melded into one … I would forget where my body ended and his began … it was so wonderful."

"Well, at least you didn't have any trouble in the bedroom."

"That's true, but it was also the only place where things worked for us. It was like we were living two separate lives. During the day I was the bossy, psycho bitchy girlfriend from hell and at night I was deeply in love with him while he touched my very soul. I'm sure someone could have written a psychology textbook about our dysfunctional relationship."

Nightwing leaned towards her. "Raven, why were you different during the daytime?"

"As I already said, I didn't like myself. I'm a monster, and please don't say that I'm not. I'm Trigon's daughter. I'm gray and I have purple hair. I really think that little of myself. Sure, I'm Raven, the mighty Titan who kicks butt, because I'm half demon. But I also want to be Raven, just a regular girl."

"But you are that person, you are a girl." He interrupted.

"I know that now, thanks to Gar. When he forgave me, it was like a veil was lifted from my eyes. But before that I didn't believe I was lovable. I told myself that Gar tolerated me for the sex and in an unhealthy, dysfunctional way we had a relationship. At night I turned into a regular girl and made love with him and during the day I'd transform into a witch and abuse him."

She rubbed her forehead.

"So you see Dick, saying that you were attracted to me, that's a big ego boost for me, even now. I don't want to have a physical relationship with you but knowing that you thought of me as attractive, someone you'd like to be with, it touches me even now, so imagine how I would have felt had you approached me the night of the ball."

"The train wreck." He remarked.

"Yes, the train wreck. Daring him to find another date was monumentally stupid. I got a perverse pleasure out of doing crap like that to him and after five years … he snapped. He made a fool of me at the Ball, I deserved it and I knew it, but it hurt, it hurt a lot. I'm supposed to be wise and smart Raven, but when he produced Terra I snapped. I was so furious, he knew that the put downs were just a game. A cruel game perhaps, but still just a game."

"But he was just doing the same thing to you, Raven. He was just playing the game."

"No, he upped the ante by bringing her into it. She's cute and bubbly and she's damn good looking now. I'm a woman Dick, but I know a good piece of ass when I see one. And she was all over him too."

She laughed sadly.

"Gar told me yesterday that she's married. That it was an act. I suspected it, even accused her of it at the Ball, but I didn't really believe it. Deep down I believed that he liked her more than me and was ready to replace me with her. Why wouldn't he? She was a real woman; I was a freak of nature and Hell. So I folded, right then and there. I told him that he won, that the game was over. But he said no, he taunted me, humiliated me in front of everyone …"

She sniffled, wiping away her tears.

"Raven, we were all glad when he finally pushed back, we felt it was long overdue. But we all agree that he went too far, way too far."

"He apologized to me, after forgiving me for … Aqualad."

Raven fell silent and sobbed quietly. Nightwing caressed her face with his ungloved hand.

"Don't beat yourself up … we all make mistakes … I know I have."

She stopped sobbing and sighed. "It's no secret that I've always had a crush on Garth … he's so damn handsome and charming. But that's all it was, a crush; a fantasy that I knew would never be fulfilled … until he came to my side. He was so sweet and understanding and then he … showed interest … he said he wished he knew someone like me … and that was the beginning of the disaster."

She sobbed again. "Oh Dick, he didn't even have to seduce me, I seduced him … I was such an idiot."

She took a deep breath.

"When we got into bed I was so excited, I was electrified. I wasn't interested in foreplay, I just told him to go for it. So he got on top of me, kissed me a few times and … he penetrated me … and that was when I knew I made a mistake … suddenly all I could see was Gar's face. I didn't know what to do. Aqualad began to thrust and kiss me, but I felt nothing, nothing at all. Numbness, that's all I felt. I went along with him and even moaned. I was paralyzed, I wanted to push him off and I almost did, but … Gar came in and saw everything. Aqualad was still inside me, still thrusting …" Her voice trailed off.

Dick wrapped his arms around her and drew her into a gentle hug.

"Raven, have you told Gar that you felt nothing?"

"No, I haven't." She whimpered.

"Then you should."

She looked up at him. "I can't, that would be rubbing his face in it."

Dick pecked her on the cheek and released her from his hug.

"Raven, he already knows what happened. What he doesn't know is that you didn't enjoy it. Listen … if there's one thing a guy worries about is that another guy can please his woman more than he can, because if that's the case then he's afraid he'll lose her. Aqualad is a handsome guy, trust me, we male Titans are very aware of that and because of that he's a threat, a competitor. We won't leave our ladies alone around him for a split second and for good reason. Tell Gar that he's a god in the bedroom and that compared to him Garth is nothing; tell him that Garth sucked in bed."

"I might want to wait on that … Gar wants us to be celibate for a while. He wants us to rebuild our relationship from the ground up and that physical love will have to wait until we're ready."

"Actually, that's not a bad idea." Dick chuckled. "But knowing him, he won't wait too long." He added with a smirk. "Raven, be patient, everything between you and Gar is going to be fine."

"And you know this because?" She returned his smirk.

"I was trained by the world's greatest detective, remember?" He grinned.

Raven laughed and the two birds exchanged hugs.

"Thanks Dick, for never turning your back on me."

"That's what big brothers do. And thanks for hearing my confession, little sister."

"It's not too late to see a priest." She teased him. "I can't give you absolution, after all."

"I'm not Catholic, so you'll have to do." He smiled before kissing her chastely on the lips. "So, little sis, shall we go bust an adulteress?"

"Let's do it." She replied.

_**-( scene break )-**_

I hope I didn't bore you guys with this really long scene, but personally I was very pleased with it. Of course that doesn't mean you'll like it.

Next chapter … the hunt. Is Rita an adulteress? What do you think? Can someone be a player, hook up left and right so many times that they lose count but somehow quit cold turkey and transform into a faithful spouse on their wedding day?


	13. Indigestion

Grayson took the Yukon on a detour on the way to Long Beach Airport, getting off of the 405 freeway and driving into an old, dilapidated business park. More than half of the buildings were boarded up and had broken glass, while a huge billboard proudly proclaimed that the run down district would soon be remodeled by Wayne Corp into a vibrant, modern and high tech business park. The SUV penetrated deep into the heart of the business park, cruising down the pot hole ridden and litter strewn streets until it pulled up in front of what was perhaps the most roughshod building in the district. It was a cinderblock structure with every window broken and half of the roof had already collapsed and caved in.

He drove the big truck inside the building through a gaping hole on the side that at one time, long ago, had a rollup corrugated door, which had literally been ripped off the building and sold as scrap metal. Once safely inside the abandoned building and satisfied that there were no witnesses he produced a clicker from his pocket and pressed on the red button. The floor under the Yukon began to sink in and they descended until they were underground. A sliding door above them concealed their entry and several lights flickered and came to life illuminating the Batclan's Los Angeles safe house.

"Cozy." Raven remarked off handedly as she egressed from the SUV, which was now parked next to an older model Batmobile.

"Bruce is replacing this with one closer to downtown. He said I could take anything I wanted. Saves me from having to get the stuff past screening at the airport." He replied as he began to rummage through lockers, grabbing grappling hooks, batarangs, smoke bombs, and other Batweapons and stuffing them into duffel bags.

Raven strolled up to a clothes rack that had a handful of red costumes with an italicized _"R"_ on their chest.

"These are an improvement over your old traffic light suit." She remarked in her old school monotone as she removed one from the rack to take a closer look.

Nightwing looked up and over at her.

"Those are Tim's." He remarked offhandedly as he began to load the rear of the SUV with several duffel bags full of bat-swag.

"Greedy, are we?" She remarked.

"Budget at the Tower's been tight, and he said I could take anything I wanted."

"I'm surprised you aren't taking the Batmobile while you're at it." She smirked.

"Yeah, that would be subtle, a great car for tailing people. Rita would never know she's being followed."

After closing the rear hatch he handed Raven a pair of high tech binoculars. "Those are yours. I got everything we could possibly need. Her plane arrives in an hour, let's get going."

The SUV emerged from the underground lair the same way it came in. Within minutes they were back on the 405. Soon enough they were on the airport's main access road. They passed the commercial terminal and reached the entrance to the private terminal. Dick pulled up to the gate and inserted a card key. The chain link door swung open and he drove in. Upon entering he pulled over, stopped and pointed at a hangar with the number "23" stenciled on its side. Several workers busied themselves inside and outside the hangar, preparing for an imminent arrival. There was also a black limousine parked next to the building. Dick lowered his window and aimed what looked like a pistol at the vehicle's rear fender. He pulled the trigger and a muffled pop echoed inside the Yukon, and was followed by the sound of a weak metallic ping. He closed the window and turned on what looked like a smartphone.

"The tracer's working, we can go."

He did a quick U Turn and left the way he came in, pulling into a nearby convenience store parking lot.

"Now we wait." He announced. "You hungry? I was going to get a chilidog. I can get you something."

Raven shook her head. "Are you always hungry? You're worse than Gar."

"Are you sure you don't want anything?"

She sighed. "An unsweetened canned herbal tea would be fine."

He gave her a startled look. "You can get those?"

"Yes, they have geishas printed on them. Get me the one with the orange colored can."

Raven used her binoculars to watch the incoming airplanes arrive, focusing on the approach path. Most were commercial aircraft, which arrived in spurts. After a few minutes Dick returned and handed her the can of tea, which she popped open and took a sip.

"Anything interesting?"

"Not yet, just airliners." She replied as she peered at the horizon with her binoculars. "Hold on … that might be her."

Nightwing pulled his binoculars out and looked as well. It was a Gulfstream and as it got closer the Dayton Industries logo on the rudder became visible. He turned the tracer back on and handed it to her.

"We'll follow from a respectful distance; we don't want to tip our hand." He remarked as he started the Yukon. Within a few minutes the tracer indicated that the limo was on the move. They saw it emerge from the private terminal, where it turned and headed off to freeway.

As expected the limo headed off to the hotel and they followed. They reached the hotel just as Rita disembarked. They drove past the hotel and pulled into a nearby restaurant's parking, finding a spot that gave them a good view of the hotel lobby area. He shut off the engine.

"And now, we wait some more."

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but this is boring." Raven complained.

"Patience, grasshopper, good things come to those who wait."

"You're mixing faux oriental philosophy with folksy western sayings." She remarked.

"It's still true." He remarked as he watched the hotel.

"And I'm still bored. I'm not used to sitting and waiting hours for something to happen."

"Go ahead and meditate, I'll rouse you if something happens.

Raven, still clad in her civvies, adopted the Lotus position. Dick suppressed a laugh as she was wearing her signature blue boots, which clashed stylistically with her blue jeans. She closed her eyes and began to whisper her mantra and began to levitate above her seat.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos … Azarath, …"

Dick smiled. In some ways Raven had changed so little over the years. She was still the petit, violet haired girl he met on the streets of Jump City. She was still shy and reserved and she also still had a hell of a temper. She was also a repentant adulteress who claimed in public in the Watchtower to be Garfield's common law wife … so some things had changed.

After 15 minutes a taxi pulled up to the hotel. Dick focused in on the cab with his binoculars just as Rita emerged from the hotel and boarded the taxi, which sped away. He grabbed Raven's arm and shook it. Her eyes popped open and she stopped reciting her mantra.

"She's on the move." He announced as he started the SUV and put it into gear. "No tracer this time. We can't lose her now."

Raven floated back down to her seat and buckled herself in as Dick drove out of the parking lot and began to tail the taxi. They followed the cab for a few miles until it turned into a side street. They followed it and almost lost it. They finally caught up with it as it was pulling away from a small house with a well manicured lawn.

"That has to be the rendezvous house. Let wait a few minutes then you can do your stuff, Raven" He remarked as he handed a small digital camcorder to her. "Get the best footage you can. If you can get her in bed with someone, that'll be all we need."

Raven nodded as she checked out the camera's controls. After a few minutes Nightwing signaled with his hand, pointing at the house.

"Titan, Go!" He smirked.

Raven smirked back at him before sinking into a portal that formed in her seat. Dick got himself comfortable, knowing that it might take a while before Rita got herself into a compromising position. Much to his surprise Raven returned within a minute.

"What, you're back already? You know the more footage the better."

Raven frowned. "She's not there."

"What do you mean she's not there? There was no one in the taxi when she left."

"A family lives in that house. They were getting ready for dinner. I got out of there before I was seen … Dick … we've been had … she knows we're here."

Another taxi pulled up and the cabbie, a short, portly Hispanic man emerged. He walked up to Nightwing's window and knocked on it. After Grayson rolled it down he handed him what looked like a greeting card sealed in an envelope.

"I was told to give this to you." The man announced before walking away.

"Wait! Who told you?" Nightwing shouted.

The cabbie stopped before getting back into his taxi.

"I was told to not tell you that. Sorry."

The taxi pulled and was gone. Grayson ripped the enveloped open with a Batarang and pulled out a greeting card that had a simple bouquet of flowers on its front. He flipped it open and read its contents.

"So? What does it say?" She asked.

Dick handed the card to her.

"Your mother in law has invited us to dinner in her private suite." He droned unhappily.

Raven bit her lip. "So … we're busted. We failed our mission. So what do we do now, just go home?"

He shook his head. "We go have dinner with her."

"What? Why?" Raven shrieked.

"She wants to tell us something, and she will tell us, one way or another. Whatever it is, we probably are better off hearing it directly from her. I'm sorry, Raven, I know you don't want to do this … but it's probably better if we just get it over with."

Raven crossed her arms and scowled. "Great, that's just peachy keen great."

_**-( scene break )-**_

They entered the opulent hotel lobby and were greeted by a stuffy concierge, a man who looked to be in his 30's and looked as pedantic as William F Buckley.

"Mr. Grayson and Miss Roth I presume?"

"That's us." Raven growled her reply.

"If Sir and Madam would please follow me, I will escort you to Mrs. Dayton's suite. How is it that you know Mrs. Dayton, if I might ask?"

"We're colleagues." Dick replied.

"And I'm her daughter in law." She added.

"Indeed … I was unaware that her son was married at all. I also thought he was engaged to a young lady in New York."

"You thought wrongly." Her curt reply jumped off her lips. The concierge said nothing and led them into an elegant elevator, and after whisking them to the top floor he led them to a room that was labeled as the "Presidential Suite". He knocked politely and a butler opened the door granting them admission to the room.

"Madam, I have brought Mr. Grayson and your daughter in law, Miss Roth, or should I say Mrs. Logan. Shall I have the first course sent up?"

Rita was dressed in an evening gown that made Raven's $4000 dress look like an off the rack affair purchased at Wal-Mart.

"Yes, please … I'm famished."

She turned to her "guests".

"Richard! Raven! It was so nice of you to join me on such short notice. And what a coincidence! We are both in Los Angeles at the same time." She gestured at an elegant mahogany table that was set for three. "Please, please sit down!"

The two Titans uneasily took their places at the table. They were served a sumptuous meal, which they consumed as Rita engaged them in small talk and turned on the charm. After about an hour they finished eating. Raven could feel the tension, in spite of the outward show Rita was putting on. Finally, the waiter served them some after dinner cordials. Dick cleared his throat.

"Thank you for the lovely meal, Rita. Alfred couldn't have done better, and that says a lot."

Rita smiled sweetly. "Well, after you had that horrible Mexican fast food for lunch, it was the least I could do."

Raven tensed up. To his credit, Dick kept his cool and replied in a calm voice. "So you knew we were coming."

"Of course I did and I know why you came as well."

"How did you know?" Raven blurted.

Rita took a sip of her cordial, a potent Sambucca. She thanked the butler and dismissed him for the evening. He gently bowed before leaving the suite.

"Easy, I bugged Garfield's room in the hospital, and don't bother reporting it to the Justice League, it's already been removed. If I remember correctly, you're taking him home tomorrow. I do appreciate what you have done for him, Raven. You saved his life and helped him heal in record time, making his injuries your own. Raven … I know he loves you, though I can't fathom why. Nonetheless I have come to accept his decision which means that I was going to embrace you, however reluctantly, as my daughter in law. That is until today's events. I need not tell you, I am not amused."

Raven felt broadsided. In a single breath Rita had both accepted and rejected her. The woman was good.

"I am especially disappointed with my son, and I will discuss this transgression with him at another time, after he finishes healing. But the two of you, especially you Raven, I have words for you."

Rita's expression was now as hard as flint. Her gaze pierced Raven's eyes and the sorceress could read the unadulterated fury hidden behind them.

"I do not appreciate having children meddle with my private life, and that is what you both are."

Rita sat up straight and glared at them. "Perhaps you do not appreciate the irony of the situation. Two young adulterers are trying to shadow me and catch me in the act of cheating on my husband, isn't that rich? Well, let me tell you something, this is going to stop right now. I have never cheated on my husband and I have nothing to prove to either of you. This ends now!"

She produced a large envelope.

"Richard, I will congratulate you on keeping a lid on Raven's scandalous behavior. As far as the media knows she and my son just had a tiff which they have resolved. Well done."

She removed an 8 by 10 photographic print and tossed it in front of Raven. The photo which looked as if taken from the room's ceiling, showed Aqualad, buck naked, engaging in sexual intercourse with an equally naked Raven.

"It would be a shame if the press got their hands on these pictures, don't you agree, Raven dear?"

The sorceress's face turned white as she stared in horror at the picture. Grayson saw a large tear form in her left eye, which slid down her cheek. He quickly glanced at the picture, averting his gaze when recognized what it was.

"How did you get this picture!?" Nightwing roared.

"Easy, I've had her room bugged for years."

"What!? How!? And Why?" He howled as Raven appeared to become catatonic

"How? I'm not telling you. As for why, I make it my business to know everything about any woman who gets close to my son. And by the way, that is just a single still, from a single frame. I have the entire session recorded on video, the whole thing, including when she asked the Atlantean to undress her."

Raven began to cry.

"You will do no such thing!" Nightwing screamed. "Hasn't she suffered enough?"

"She has, but it's always possible to suffer more."

Rita grinned as she took another sip of her cordial.

"Poor Garfield, he thinks so little of me because I enjoyed casual sex before I married Steve."

She turned to Raven as she produced another photograph from the envelope.

"What would he think of his sweet Raven should he learn that she too had a one night stand before becoming his non-girlfriend lover?"

Raven's eyes widened in horror. "Noooooo!" She pleaded.

Rita tossed the photo at her. Raven picked it up with trembling hands.

"I've been watching you for a long time dear. Ever since you told my Garfield that you were having a "moment" with him. The boy in the photo, it wasn't hard to find out who he was. If I'm not mistaken his name is Dylan, he's a puny loser and a … what do they call them … Emo's or is he a Goth? You met him at the dance club when those Centaurian androids came after Blackfire. At least that's what he told me. You reconnected with him two years after meeting at the dance club. He said that Raven was interested in exploring her sexuality with him. How clinical and intellectual of you my dear. Most girls just want to get laid."

"Stop it Rita! You've gone too far!"

She scowled at the original Robin.

"Then don't fuck with me boy! You're in way over your head. You're lucky that I can be reasonable and I'm giving you a final chance to back off."

She tossed a USB flash drive at him.

"Both videos are on there. Fuck with me again and I'll post them on the internet. Have I made myself clear?"

Nightwing heaved a huge sigh. There was no way he protect Raven from this, they had no other choice other than to back off.

"Fine, we'll leave you alone. But if those videos ever get leaked I will do everything within my power to ruin your life."

"Don't make promises you can't keep, boy. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a gala Ball to attend tonight for the charity."

Rita got up and left the suite, heading off to her limo which was waiting for her downstairs. Raven was shaking and sobbing. He wrapped his arms around her and drew into a hug, caressing her scalp in a vain attempt to soothe her. He stared at the door through which Rita left. She had gone too far this time, and she would pay for it. No one could hurt his dear friend like that and get away with it. There would be hell to pay, and he would make she paid in full.


	14. The Haunted Room

A young couple emerged from the hotel's lobby. His figure looked stiff and angry while hers looked weak and defeated. He had an arm wrapped around her shoulder and leaned over, placing a tender kiss on her violet colored scalp. A valet approached and he handed him a stub. The valet disappeared into the parking lot, which was illuminated only by the yellow sodium lights as the night was moonless. The sound of an engine starting was heard and within moments the Yukon pulled up. The valet hopped out and opened the passenger door.

Grayson picked Raven up bridal style and deposited her on the passenger seat, closing the door behind her. He tipped the valet and walked around the car, getting into the driver's seat and pulling away after he closed his own door.

The clock on the dashboard read 8:47; Cyborg wasn't scheduled to arrive with the T-Ship until 10:30. They had some time to kill. He glanced over at Raven, who had pulled her small legs up on the seat and had her arms wrapped around them.

As he drove down the boulevard he saw a small shopping center, more like a strip mall anchored by a CostCo on one end and a Kohl's on the other. The lot was fairly empty and making a quick decision he pulled into it, finding a quiet spot that would be out of the way of any traffic. He pulled in to parking spot, shifted the transmission into "park" and shut off the engine.

"I'm not gonna ask if you're OK … because I know you're not."

Raven bowed her head and whimpered. "What the hell is wrong with me?"

"Raven, I won't allow her to release those videos. I'll get Bruce to help us if that's what it takes."

"She's going to tell him. She will."

"She has more to lose than you do if she does that. I'm certain that she's cheating on Mento, why else would she have reacted like that. But if she drops the bomb then she has nothing on us anymore and I will hound her until I get the proof. Garfield won't be happy when he finds out about you and that Goth kid, but that was before your time together …"

"It proves that I'm a slut."

He looked away from her and stared into infinity before looking back at her.

"Maybe not … but … why him?" He asked. Raven shrank away, pulling her knees closer to her chest.

"That was a long time ago, Raven. You're a different person now."

She remained silent as she rocked herself on her seat.

"What's shared here stays here. You have my word."

Raven released her legs, which slid off the seat.

"I've never thought much of myself … as a girl or later as a woman."

"I know, though you're completely wrong about that … so what happened? I vaguely remember … what's his name … Dylan … from that night we went out dancing with Blackfire … you guys stepped aside and talked … I guess. I do remember he ran away when the Centaurian probes arrived."

"I bumped into him a couple of years later at the old café, before it went out of business. We talked again … he had a group of fiends he hung out with, a bunch of Goth guys and girls. They thought I was cool … it was like having my own little groupie."

"So they affirmed you."

"They did, but not because I was Raven, the Teen Titan. They didn't care about that. They liked me for my poetry, which at that time was nihilistic and existentialist. They lapped it up and practically worshipped me."

"That doesn't sound so bad."

"It wasn't, I really loved all the attention, though at first they kept a respectful distance from me. After a few months they became more relaxed and let me into their inner circle. I was … pleased."

"So what happened after that?"

"At first, not much. I did get to know them better as individuals. They were all in high school, mostly from homes where their parents and guardians didn't care what they did as long as they didn't get into trouble. There was one thing that caught me by surprise."

She paused and pursed her lips.

"At first I was a bit confused … they seemed to be couples, but every few weeks they formed new pairings. Some lasted longer than others. Some didn't seem to last at all. I thought at first that they were just playing out at being existentialists. But as I began to fit in better one of the girls, Angela, pulled me aside and asked me if I was ready to really become part of the group."

"That sounds ominous."

"It was, that's when I learned about "friends with benefits". For all of my dark reputation that came as a bit of a surprise to me. They were basically having sex with each other, swapping partners like socks. They traded partners on nearly a daily basis. She told me that they were all friends, that she liked all the guys and that they were a pretty tight group. She also told me that if I wasn't ready to participate that they would understand."

He nodded.

"So I came home and pondered what she told me. We all shared the same philosophy and the practice of casual sex fit into it, even though I had never participated in that. They were friends, but that was it. They weren't interested in love, because to love and then lose that love proved that life was futile and pointless. That it was better to live for the moment, for pleasure. That way there was nothing to lose. But I was afraid of losing something … their approval. I mean … I know that all of you loved and accepted me … but … I was different … very different and finding them made me feel better about myself."

"Understandable." He replied.

"I was feeling ambivalent, casual sex didn't seem like something I would do, but now I was 17 and I found a group of people that I felt fit in with. Then there was my demon side, which was open to the idea of sex without love … so I decided to give it a try. I approached Dylan one night at the café and asked if he'd like to come home with me."

"I will admit that I'm surprised you brought him to the Tower."

"Well, It was either my room or the back seat of a car. I figured that it would be better in a "safe" place"

"So what happened next?"

She dropped her head. "I'm sure it's all on the video on that flash drive."

"I don't want to watch that video, ever. That was an invasion of your privacy. I don't want to see it from the perspective of a hidden camera; I want to hear about it from your perspective."

Raven sighed.

"Well, I suppose that the evening unfolded as most evenings of that sort do, which back then was completely new and foreign to me. We started with a make out session, polite kissing at first which quickly progressed. When he stuck his tongue into my mouth I flinched, I had never French kissed before and it caught me off guard. He asked me if I was a virgin and I told him that I was. He promised to guide me and reassured me that it would be great, an experience I would never forget. So we resumed the make out session. He wasn't shy with his hands; they were soon on my breasts."

"How did you feel about that?"

"I felt … breached, invaded … but at the same time it felt good and I didn't want to look like some kind of loser who was afraid of sex … Andrea did tell me that Dylan had a thing for breasts, that he would really focus on them and that he had a nice touch. He wasn't the patient type either. Next thing I knew he was behind me unzipping my leotard. Before I knew what happened I was only wearing my panties and he was licking my breasts. He then got up and stripped naked, showing off his erection to me like it was some kind of trophy."

"He must have been proud of himself."

"It was the first time I saw one, in hindsight it wasn't that impressive, Gar's are far bigger. Next thing I know my panties are being pulled off, I'm spread eagle on my back and he's pushing his way in. No protection, never asked me if I was on the pill, he just went for it."

She paused. "It hurt when he penetrated and he didn't care. He began to thrust and before I knew it he was done. He rolled off and didn't even look at me. He didn't even ask if I enjoyed it. I guess from his existentialist perspective that was my responsibility, not his."

"Let me guess, that was the last time you ever saw him."

She nodded. "I never went back to them. I started going to the Sartre Café instead. I imagine that when they finished high school they left town to go to college. I haven't seen or sensed him since."

She sighed unhappily. "I gave my virginity away to an asshole, just because I wanted to fit in with a stupid clique."

She looked up at him. "So, what's your verdict?"

"That you had low self esteem and were willing to compromise yourself to fit in … Raven, I am disappointed with you … but you aren't a slut. Had you gone back and slept with the other guys, then you would have been a slut."

She frowned as she pursed her lips. "So it's better to be an idiot than a slut?"

"You came to your senses."

"A little too late." She added unhappily.

"Better late than never."

She locked eyes with him. "Richard, how do I tell this to Garfield?"

"To be honest, I don't think you should."

She turned away from him. "You mean that I have more to lose than to gain if I tell him?"

He nodded. "By telling him you get to pre-empt Rita telling him, plus it's always better that he hear it from you. On the other hand, who knows how he might react? Sure, you were unattached at the time, but he's still hurting from Aqualad. It won't matter that this was seven years ago."

"Dick … Gar and I are going to rebuild our relationship from the ground up. It's going to take time but once we've rebuilt it I'm going to ask him to marry me. If I'm going to do that I can't have any skeletons in my closet. Our relationship has to be built upon honesty and openness."

He nodded while he frowned. "I understand and even agree with what you just said, but it could backfire on you. He might become upset, even reject you. You're taking a big risk."

"I know, but even if I could keep it a secret from him for the rest of my life, I would know … and I couldn't live with that."

He leaned back into his seat, crossed his arms and grinned at her.

"What's the smile for, Boy Blunder?" She asked in a defensive tone.

"Raven, you are so not a slut. And you have my full support. If Gar does overreact, I'll talk with him."

A happy cry escaped her lips as she wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you."

They remained in fraternal embrace for a few minutes.

"Feeling better now?"

"A little."

They released each other and he kissed her on her forehead.

"We'd better get going, Cyborg's going to be here soon. He also told me that he found the bugs in your room and Garfield's too. Both rooms are clean now."

Raven suddenly looked dejected. "My room ..."

"I have an idea. How about we have Cyborg remodel one of the guest rooms for you? I'm sure he could have it done in just a few days. We can get you new furniture too."

"Thanks … that would really help."

"No problem."

He started the SUV and headed off to Long Beach airport.

_**-( scene break )-**_

The flight home was a quiet one. Nightwing told Cyborg that the mission had been a failure and told him about the bugs, though he never mentioned the videos or Rita's blackmail threat. Raven stared out from her canopy in the T-Ship at the terrain below the entire trip, watching the city lights slowly slip past them as they cruised north along the California coast, passing San Francisco and eventually reaching Jump Bay.

It was midnight when they finally landed at the Tower. After securing the T-Ship the boys said their goodnights and headed for their rooms. Raven went off to the common room to prepare herself a cup of herbal tea, hoping that it would help calm her down as she was still feeling too agitated to go to bed. Upon entering the room she found that Starfire was still up, watching some celebrity gossip show on the giant TV. She turned off the set and rose from the couch to greet her friend.

"Cyborg told me that the mission was not a success."

Raven continued into the kitchen and filled her electric kettle with water.

"She knew we were coming." She replied in tired voice.

Starfire fixed her gaze on her gray friend.

"It is more than a failed mission, something bad has happened to you, I can tell."

"I'd rather not talk about it."

"Raven, I am your friend."

"I know you are, but right now I just want to go to bed."

"Then perhaps we can do the talking tomorrow, yes?"

"Maybe … I don't know. Besides, I'm supposed to pick up Gar at the Watchtower infirmary tomorrow and bring him home."

The princess beamed. "Oh yes, that will be glorious! You will bring your beloved home at last!"

"Yeah … I guess."

"Raven, is there something wrong? Did you have a fight with your beloved today?"

She dismissed her question with a wave of her hand.

"No, I have neither seen nor spoken with him today." She replied as she poured the boiling water into her mug.

"Then I do not understand. Why are you so sad? Is it because the mission failure has affected you somehow?"

"I need to talk with Garfield tomorrow."

"About what?"

Raven stared at her mug, waiting for the tea to finish brewing.

"It's … private. I know you mean well Starfire, but I don't want to talk about it now. I promise you that tomorrow, regardless of the outcome, I will come and talk with you. OK?"

The Tamaranian bowed her head. "Very well, I too shall retire for the evening. Good night, Raven."

Starfire turned and quietly left the room. Raven felt a knot form in her stomach as she watched her friend leave with a forlorn slouch and a sad face. She knew she was lucky to have such good friends yet more often than not she would shut them out of her life, insisting on facing her problems on her own.

Her tea was ready and she removed the spent teabag, tossing it into the trash before leaving the common room with her steaming mug. She walked absentmindedly to her room, and suddenly arrived without remembering how she got there. She entered and after taking a sip from her mug she put it down and changed into a fresh set of sleepwear. She took another sip of her tea and looked at her room.

It hadn't changed much over the years. It was still full of bookcases, chests, books, figurines as it always had been. But something felt wrong. The room felt haunted. There were not ghosts in the room; it was haunted by her mistakes. Dick had been right in offering her a new room; it was painfully obvious to her that she would never be able to sleep in her room again.

Grabbing her mug she entered the hallway and walked to the Garfield's room and opened the door. She drank in his powerful aura, which permeated the room like a heavy fog, and it felt both soothing and comforting with its warm embrace. She drank up her tea and set the empty mug down on his desk.

His room had also changed little over the years; he still had the bunk beds, and still favored the top bunk. His room was cleaner than in the past, though she would hardly call it clean, not by her standards anyway. Raven pulled back the blankets on the lower bunk and got into the bed. She closed her eyes but couldn't rest as she tossed and turned for several minutes.

She got up and began to pace in the room, as if searching for something. She then levitated to the upper bunk, which he last slept in the night before he left for New York with Cliff in the now defunct Doom Patrol jet. The bed was made but the sheets had not been changed. She could still smell his scent in the bed, an aroma some people likened to a "wet dog". She didn't think he smelled like that, she found his aroma to be untamed and even wild. Yet inhaling that scent made her feel safe, not physically safe, she was more powerful than he was, but emotionally safe. He was the only man she ever felt comfortable with sharing her heart and body, the only one she ever really trusted with herself. His aura was also powerful in the upper bunk, providing her with a warm and fuzzy glow. She pulled back the sheets and blankets but did not get into the bed.

She turned and floated over to the wall their two rooms shared and phased through it. She returned within a moment and floated back to the upper bunk, this time getting into the bed and pulling the covers over her body.

She was sound asleep within minutes; her arm was wrapped around the giant plush chicken he had won for her at the seaside carnival almost ten years before. Tomorrow would be fraught with uncertainty and risk but that night she slept in the safety of his arms, even though he wasn't there.


	15. Confession in the sky

A blue light shimmered on the teleportation pad and a single figure materialized. She stepped off the pad and swiped her Titan's ID on the card reader, then placed her palm on a bioreader. A fluorescent green light scanned her hand, completing the task within seconds.

_Recognized … Raven … affiliation: Titans … access granted._ An electronic voice trilled.

A force field bubble around the teleportation pad dissipated until it was gone.

"Welcome to the Watchtower, Miss Raven." A woman in sky blue coveralls, who was seated at the teleporter control panel, greeted her. "The news around the station is that you've come to take Beast Boy home today."

"Changeling … his name is Changeling." She droned as she walked past the woman, without making eye contact with her.

"Of course … sorry … when I was a girl I was a big fan, I had a huge crush on him." She giggled. "I guess I still do … he'll always be Beast Boy to me."

"Whatever." Raven muttered as she moved off towards the elevator banks.

The teleporter operator frowned as she was joined another female coworker. "Is it me, or is she just a bitch?"

Her coworker shook her head in dismay. "What does he see in her?"

"Who knows? Did I tell you that I saw him yesterday?" The first woman gushed.

"Really? Where and how? The infirmary is off limits to us."

"I was on lunch break and on my way to the cafeteria. He was walking around the outer ring with Power Girl."

The second woman snickered. "He was with with Boobarella?"

"Don't say that! She's a Kryptonian, she has super hearing and she hates that nickname."

"Relax, she isn't here today … it would have been sweet to see the witch's face had she seen them together."

"She was being really flirty with him … he's really cute." The first woman continued to gush.

"How long have you had a crush on him? Since Junior High?"

"Since he was Teen Titan … I got his autograph once. I was with the high school volleyball team at a regional tournament in Jump. He actually came to the tournament. After he signed my autograph book he even posed with me for a picture. I have it here."

She produced the photo from her purse and showed it to her colleague, who snickered upon seeing it.

"You look great with braces, Jan. So … are you still a fangirl?" The second woman asked.

"Nah, not anymore, I do have a boyfriend you know … but seeing him brought back some memories."

"I'll bet, so, what did you fangirls think of it when he shacked up with the witch?"

"We were disappointed, duh. The Beast Boy Fan Club Tokyo Chapter got over 50,000 signatures on a petition demanding that he dump her."

"That must have gone over well with her."

"Rumor has it that she personally tossed the petition into the Tower's incinerator."

"That sounds like her. She must have some redeeming quality though."

"Probably, but hell if I know what it is."

Both women broke out laughing before getting back to their duties.

_**-( scene break )-**_

As Raven walked to the elevator banks she overheard the two women talking. She couldn't discern what they were saying, but she knew they were talking about her and when she overheard the word "witch" any doubts she harbored were dispelled.

The view of the Earth through the giant windows was one of great peace and serenity, which was not how she was feeling. She had been looking forward to this day with great anticipation. The League had been very gracious in caring for Garfield during his convalescence but she was glad to get him out of there, and not just because of the catty remarks the civilian staff constantly made behind her back. She was accustomed to that, used to being called "creepy" and "witch". But it was more than that. There was something about the League and its Watchtower that made her feel like an unwelcome outsider.

It didn't help that Titans refused League supervision from the day Robin gathered them on the island and formed their iconic team. Then the League formed its own "Titans", the Young Justice team in Happy Harbor, Rhode Island. That was a direct affront to Robin and his team, especially since the YJ's had their own Robin: Tim Drake. That challenge still stung, even though the Young Justice team was eventually disbanded.

Of course now the situation had changed dramatically for Raven and Garfield didn't have a clue. He didn't even know how the mission in LA went the night before. Oh Azar, this was not going to be easy.

Raven boarded an available elevator, which was thankfully unoccupied. She pressed the button for the hospital level and as the lift zoomed to its destination she inspected herself on one of its mirrored walls. She tugged at her cape, straightening it and repeatedly raised and lowered her hood, eventually deciding to leave it down. She was still preening her hair when the lift arrived at its destination and the bell chimed as the doors slid open. She took one last look at herself, as if she was preparing herself for a blind date, not knowing what to expect. The girl in the mirror was the same old violet haired demoness that always looked back at her every morning in the bathroom. She sighed as she egressed from the lift.

She marched down the hallway and within moments she found herself standing in front of his door. She didn't knock right away and instead rocked on her heels, prevaricating while she ran what she was going to say to him in her mind one last time. Finally, after swallowing hard, she knocked on the door.

"Is that you Rae? Come on in!"

She timidly entered the room and was surprised to find him wearing some slacks, a white shirt and a necktie.

"Mento sent me a new suit to wear." He grinned as he struck a male model pose. "What do you think?"

His tie was crooked and the knot was lopsided. Without even saying hello, Raven began to undo his tie. "You got the knot done wrong." She announced in her gravelly voice as she began to redo his tie, fussing over it and his shirt, straightening his collar. "There, that looks better."

"I am so stoked; I'm ready to go home!" He enthused.

"Home as in the Tower, right?" She asked in a small voice that was dripping with apprehension.

"Of course! What, you don't think I want to go back to New York, do you?"

"No … of course not … how are you feeling?"

"Pretty good … I still have some healing to do. The doc said that I shouldn't do any morphing for a couple of months, so I guess missions are a no go for me now … say speaking of missions, how did your trip to LA go?"

Raven sat down on the edge of his now flat hospital bed. "Not well, in fact it was a bit of a disaster."

He sat down next to her. "What do you mean?"

"Rita bugged your room, she knew we were coming. She led us on a wild goose chase. She then invited us to dinner."

His jaw fell. "You and Dick … she invited you to dinner?"

"My first instinct was to cut and run but Nightwing said that she had something to tell us … he was right."

He furrowed his brow in concern.

"So … what did she tell you?"

Raven reached into her jeweled belt and opened a compartment, retrieving a USB flash drive from it. She placed it in his hand.

"Rae, what is this?"

"My room has been bugged for years."

"What? No way! Chrome Dome sweeps for bugs once a month, he would have found it."

She shook her head. "It's Doom Patrol tech, it was probably invisible to his detection methods. Rita's had a micro-camera in my room for years, since I was 17."

The Changeling's face became screwed with anger.

"What the hell? Why did she do that?"

Raven sighed. "She said that she keeps a close eye on anyone who is close to you, and that she started spying on me since when you first became the Beast."

"That was a long time ago … so what's on this flash …"

He stopped midsentence. "You and Aqualad."

Raven buried her face in her hands. "She's threatened to post it on the internet if we don't back off … Gar … she's going to use this to control and manipulate me."

He scowled. "Not if I can help it. I'm going to tell her that if she ever does that I'll never speak to her again."

She placed a hand of his shoulder and pecked him on the cheek.

"Thanks … but there's something else you need to know." She announced in a whisper as her shoulders fell and her posture slumped forward.

"What do you mean? Is she going to post videos of us doing it on the internet?"

She shook her head as she choked back a sob.

"Garfield … you ..." She paused as she sniffled. "… you weren't my first."

"Your first?" He asked with a confused look on his face, which changed when the meaning of her words sunk in. "You had a boyfriend before me? When was that?"

She shook her head. "No … it was … oh Azar … please forgive me … it was a one night stand."

His mouth became ajar and a shocked, vacant look filled his eyes.

"A one night stand … you?"

"I was so ashamed of myself; that's why I never told you … Gar, was I your first?"

He nodded grimly. "So, I'm guessing that's also on the flash drive and Rita threatened to tell me."

She nodded as tears dripped from her eyes.

"Raven … that's so unlike you … what happened … I mean …why?"

She related the story about Dylan and his band of existentialist hedonists. He didn't speak after she was done. After a few minutes he cleared his throat. "So, what did you expect to get out of hanging with them?"

Her voice was tiny as she responded. "I felt accepted by them and to be honest I was curious to see if there was anything to their claim that nihilistic hedonism was the way to go."

"Really? But you're a superhero."

"Superheroes aren't Saints. And this was in the aftermath of defeating Trigon. I was liberated from his darkness, and then I discovered I had my own personal darkness. It was a time of confusion for me. I bonded with the kids and in many ways got closer to all of you. But I also wanted to explore, to find out who I really was."

"And to do that you had to sleep with Goth boy?" He asked in a bitter voice.

"I'm not proud of what I did."

He rubbed his temples. "I know, this was before us … but … it's still a kick in the gut for me. I just can't believe you did that … Was it really just that one time?"

She bit her lip. "It was the only time… Gar … it was an unpleasant experience; he used me like I was an object. There was no love, no affection. All he did was to take, he didn't give. To be honest the experience put me off of men for a long time, that is until … until I fell in love with you."

He leaned back and sighed. "I understand it up here." He said as he pointed at this head. "But here, I'm still having trouble." He pointed at his heart.

"I broke your heart, again." She whispered.

"No, you didn't break it, but it is hurting because I just learned something about you, something I don't like."

Raven became crestfallen. Her eyes became listless as she stared at the floor. "Way to go me, just days into the new and improved relationship, and I've already wrecked it."

To her surprise he took her hand squeezed it.

"You didn't wreck it, it was more of a speed bump … OK a really bad ass speed bump that makes the whole car shudder and your bones rattle, but it was just a speed bump."

"There won't be any more 'speed bumps', I promise. I have no secrets left."

He leaned over and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him back into a deep kiss. They both moaned softly as their lips caressed each other. When they finally separated he had a smile on his face.

"I'm ready to go home, Rave."

She nodded, and they both stood up. His suit jacket was draped over a chair and she grabbed it. She helped me put it on and once again fussed over him until she was satisfied he looked right.

"I love you." She deadpanned.

"I love you too … let's go home, Raven."

**To be continued …**

After receiving some requests I have decided to continue the story after all.

Stay tuned, as I will take a break few a few days before resuming.


	16. Two lovers

And here is the first chapter of part 2!

_**-( scene break )-**_

The Chromatically Challenged Couple™ left the hospital room together, hand in hand. Raven felt both self conscious and triumphant at the same time as passersby noticed them, casting furtive glances in their direction. She knew they had all either read the tabloids or had seen the gossip shows on television and had heard the rumors that infidelity, her infidelity, had been the cause of their break up. More than once she wanted to stop and shout "Yes, he's mine again, get used to it", but she knew that she lacked the nerve to do that.

He sensed her unease as they crossed paths with a large crowd of "B" level League members. He leaned over and pecked her on the cheek right in plain view. It was subtle but she appreciated what he said to them with his kiss: "It's official, we're back together." She would have to reward him later, unfortunately he wouldn't let her do that, at least not the way she would prefer … the celibacy … it was going to be difficult after five years of sharing a bed together. Her body ached for his intimate manly touch, for the delicious shockwaves he sent through her body every time he made love to her. It was going to be a difficult wait, but she knew it was important to him and she would comply. Of course, that didn't mean that she wouldn't try to accelerate that period of sexual fasting. He was strong and resolute of course … but not that strong … or so she hoped.

Soon they reached the teleporter pad. The same two women who were there earlier remained at the controls.

"Ready to go home, Changeling?" The former fangirl called out.

"You got that right!" He shouted happily.

"OK, I've got the coordinates locked into the Common Room in the Tower and … Cyborg has lowered the dampening field that usually blocks teleportation into the tower and … we're good to go." The woman announced as she looked up and saw that they were holding hands.

"Uh, sorry no touching each other during teleportation. There's a small chance, it rarely happens, but sometimes the skin gets fused together and the teleporter can't undo it. Of course a surgeon can, but you'd rather not go that way, if you know what I mean. It's only a problem with organic on organic contact, your clothes won't fuse to your skin."

They released each other and took their respective places on the teleporter units.

"Thanks guys, better safe than sorry, glad you could stay with us."

She pressed a button and the tingling sensation made its appearance. Raven watched as the teleportation pad and its surrounding began to look fuzzy, like an old TV image with lots of static. As the Watchtower began to fade away the common room slowly did the opposite and began to fade into existence and she could see both places at the same time. It was now apparent that their friends had setup a party to celebrate his return. There was a buffet table loaded with food and drink. There were also guests present. Titans East were there, sans Aqualad who remained in exile in Atlantis, as were many other Titans who witnessed the blowout at Ball just weeks before. Just as the Watchtower faded out completely and just before the tingling sensation was gone she saw a banner, no doubt Starfire's work that boldly proclaimed: **Welcome home Raven and Garfield**, with their names inside a big red heart.

As soon as the teleportation process finished their friends blew noise makers and showered the green and gray couple with streamers and confetti.

Raven felt overwhelmed as their friends and colleagues rushed forward to congratulate Beast Boy on his recovery and both of them on the reconciliation. A flurry of faces surrounded them: Jinx and Kid Flash, Titans East, Kole, Jericho, who signed his congratulations, and many others.

The common room was bare and normal when she left barely an hour before and now it was decorated over the top with banners and large cut out hearts with their names stenciled on them. Of all those present, only Nightwing knew about Raven's long past peccadillo with the Goth known as Dylan and that she was planning on telling the changeling about it. He knew there was a slight chance that when the returned from the Watchtower that they might not be couple anymore, again, but said nothing to the others as they prepared to celebrate their reconciliation. A subtle smile on Raven's face told him that it had gone well.

The welcome home party continued for a few hours and as all parties do it began to peter out as the guests began to excuse themselves. After the last guests left Cyborg and Starfire volunteered to clean up. Nightwing approached the Chromatically Challenged Couple™ and asked them to follow him. He led them to a conference room, where much to their surprise the Changeling's foster parents were waiting, seated around a small table.

"Here they are, I'll leave to give you some privacy." Nightwing announced as he turned to leave the conference room.

"Please, Nightwing, don't leave. I think you're involved enough with this that you should stay." Mento replied.

Rita sported an expressionless face that would have made Raven proud, though it was painfully evident from her body language that she didn't want to be there. Mento was wearing his "I'm in charge here" face and he gestured to the three Titans to have a seat, which they did. Garfield placed both of his hands on the table and Raven quickly grabbed one as she locked eyes with Rita, who to her credit did not glare back at her.

"It's not a secret that Rita and I have been less than thrilled with Garfield's and Raven's relationship over the past few years and that has in large part been because of its dysfunctional nature. I won't be disingenuous and deny what everyone here already knows: We were very pleased when they broke up a few weeks ago. We even dug up an old flame of Garfield's and arranged with her to be available to catch him on the rebound."

"However, the events of the past few days have led me to reevaluate the situation. Unfortunately while this was happening an unfortunate situation arose: Garfield suspected that my wife might be cheating on me and asked Raven and Nightwing to spy on her."

Mento fell silent as he continued pacing.

"Garfield, I am very aware of your mother's past, she was open and truthful about it from the very beginning. It doesn't bother me that she had many lovers before forsaking them all for me. Now I know what you're thinking, that someone who has had over fifty different sexual partners, many of them one night stands, someone who has admitted to me that she enjoys casual sex with near strangers …"

Rita glared at her husband, but said nothing.

".. could never possibly transition into a life of faithful monogamy, but she has. Garfield, I want you to cease and desist in stalking your mother; she has never cheated on me. I would know, I'm a mind reader, remember? So get it out of your head. Understood?"

The changeling visibly chafed at his father's command, yet did not defy him.

"Yes, sir." He replied meekly.

Mento nodded. "Good, that's been put behind us. We won't discuss this again … now; there is another matter to discuss." He said as he turned to Raven.

"As I already mentioned, we aren't exactly crazy about you Raven. You've been mistreating our boy for years and we've remained silent that whole time. You claimed in the Watchtower that you were his common law wife, which implies that when you cheated on our son with the boy from Atlantis, that you committed adultery."

Raven averted her gaze to the table's surface, as she couldn't argue with his accusation.

"Garfield believes that you have turned over a new leaf and has chosen to forgive you. He is an adult and that is his decision to make and we will respect that decision, reluctantly at first. Hopefully time will prove that he made the right choice. In the end it will be up to you, Raven."

"What this all means is that even though Rita and I still have serious reservations about you, that you are now a member of our family, or will be once you officially marry our son, which I now believe is inevitable."

Raven struggled to conceal the surprise on her face.

"Then there is the matter of the videos taken in your room. Have you discussed them with Garfield?"

Raven felt a sense of unease swell within her, wondering where this conversation was going. "I have. He now knows about Dylan."

Mento nodded approvingly. "Good, there shouldn't be secrets in a marriage. That you told him about that encounter is in my opinion a good sign. When Rita and I became serious in our relationship she was very open about her past. It didn't surprise, shock or scandalize me, I knew she was a movie star and that she naturally would have had prior sexual partners. That she was willing to give up casual sex to marry me told me just how much she loved me. And besides, I wasn't exactly an inexperienced virgin myself when I met her."

"And I still love you that much." Rita interrupted before turning to glare at the young couple. "I would die before cheating on my husband."

Mento smiled at his wife before resuming his monologue.

"That leaves one final issue: Our ladies don't get along. Now I know we can't force Raven and Rita to like each other, but at least we can call a cease fire. And I propose the first goodwill gesture of that truce. I only became aware yesterday that Rita is blackmailing Raven with videos of her in compromising positions. I have discussed this with Rita and she will not only refrain from releasing them as she threatened to do, she has deleted all copies of the videos. The only remaining copies are on the USB flash drive she gave you."

Garfield reached into his pocket, retrieved the flash drive and placed it on the table.

"Go ahead Rae, destroy it."

Raven picked up the flash drive and held it gingerly in her palm, staring at it as if it was alive.

"I don't think I should. I made a terrible mistake, a horrible lapse in judgment … I need something to remind of that."

"Let it go Raven, he's forgiven you. It was a terrible mistake, but you should put it behind you." Mento interjected.

"He's right." Rita added. "Had Steve not been able to look beyond my past, he wouldn't have married me, and he would have missed out big time had he passed me by … and I would have missed out as well."

Raven nodded and her hand became enveloped with her obsidian light. She closed it and formed a fist. When she reopened her palm it contained the pulverized remains of the flash drive, which she dropped onto the table.

Mento nodded his approval. "It's done."

The men stepped aside and began to "talk shop". Raven and Rita could have joined in, but they instead stayed at the table. Rita got up and walked around to table to where Raven was, and she stood up. Rita extended her hand.

"Truce?" She asked.

Raven shook her hand.

"Truce. I guess we're stuck with each other, we might as well try to make the best of it."

Rita nodded. "You will be good to my boy, right?"

"I will. Rita, I do love him. You do know that, don't you?"

"I suppose you do. How do you plan on making him happy?"

"Well … with love, respect and faithfulness … I suppose."

"Is that all, aren't you forgetting something? Why do you think Steve chose me over so many other beautiful women?"

Raven smiled. "Because you're an expert at the art of lovemaking?"

"Well, I don't mean to brag." Rita smiled.

"Well, I don't mean to brag either, but I'm a pretty damn good lover myself. I'm probably even be better than you are, I am half demon after all … Rita … he hasn't seen anything yet, I'm going to rock his world."

Rita grinned as she placed a hand on the sorceress's shoulder.

"Raven dear, I believe I've misjudged you. You might not be so bad after all. But I am going to hold you to that promise to 'rock his world'."

"You have nothing to worry about. Consider it done."

_**-( scene break )-**_

_30 minutes later …_

Steve and Rita were gone, having left to return home to New York. The Tower was shut down and the five friends exchanged their good nights and departed for their rooms. Raven and the Changeling reached his door and he turned to her, giving her a tender kiss.

"Good night, Rae. I'll see you at breakfast."

Unaware that she was imitating her beau, she rubbed the back of her neck. "Uh, about that … I don't want to sleep in my room anymore … too many bad memories … Cyborg is preparing a new room for me."

"Oh, I see … so you're bunking with Star tonight?"

"I think Dick's already in there with her."

He chuckled. "Yeah, that would … uh … be awkward."

"To say the least. And I'm not bunking with Cyborg and not sleeping in Nightwing's room and I'm definitely not sleeping in Terra's old room. And my new room is the guest room, which is being remodeled."

"Well, that just leaves my room, unless you're planning on sleeping on the couch?"

"I'm not sleeping on the couch." She replied in a mildly annoyed and curt voice.

He sighed. "I know I have two beds, but we really shouldn't sleep in the same room."

"What? Do you think I have an ulterior motive?"

"No, of course you don't." He backpedaled as he opened the door. "Come on in."

He sat down on the lower bunk and Raven joined him.

"Rae, do you understand why I want us to be celibate for a while?"

"You mean for a very indefinite 'while'? Sure. You want to be sure that we have a relationship that isn't based on sex alone."

"Yeah, but … there's more to it than that."

"There is?"

"Yes … I want to be sure that if we ever have another rough patch, one without … you know … sex, that you won't go somewhere else to get some."

A sad expression consumed Raven's face as she stared at the floor. "Gar … I've given you my word … isn't that good enough? I'm not your mother … I'm not into casual sex, the two times I tried it were disastrous and they did absolutely nothing for me. In fact, they hurt me emotionally, both times … to be honest I don't understand why your mother was so obsessed with one night stands, as far as I've experienced they suck."

"You felt nothing? You mean not even with …"

"Not even with the pretty boy … he was an absolute dud, and self centered too, a lousy lover. Compared to him you're the god of love."

Garfield felt a twinge of remorse as he had thoroughly enjoyed his two romps in the hay with Jillian. Raven didn't need to know that, she already knew he had done the deed with Jill, and that was all she needed to know. Anything beyond that would just hurt her and there was nothing to be gained by telling her.

"Whoa … I … uh … I didn't know." He mumbled.

"How could you? I never told you. But it's true, I felt nothing with Garth. Not in my heart and not even in my body."

He nodded his agreement. "OK, so for the record, I trust you. You can stay with me here until your new room is ready. You can have the lower bunk."

"Thank you, I'll go change and get ready. I'll be back in a bit."

Raven sank into the floor and disappeared. Garfield stripped down to his boxers and headed off to his bathroom, where he brushed his teeth and completed other evening preparations. Once he was done he climbed into his bed, which was made, but found Raven's old plush chicken propped up I a corner. He picked it up and smiled, remembering the day he won it at the seaside carnival and show she pretended to not like when he gave it to her. Now he knew where she had been sleeping the nights before. Raven's tell tale dark energy hum resonated in the room and she rose out of the floor as if riding an elevator. She was wearing an oversized T-Shirt that reached down almost halfway to her knees with the Titans logo on it.

"I think this is yours." He handed the chicken to her.

"Thanks … good night, Gar. Sleep well."

Raven got under the covers of the lower bunk, while Gar did the same above. "You too Raven."

As soon as the lights were out and he put his head down on his pillow he smelled her scent, the unique mixture of her sweat and the perfume she wore. It was a scent he was all too familiar with as it was the aroma that evoked memories of sharing a bed with her. He rolled over, determined to ignore it, but his nose was far too sensitive. After several minutes of tossing and turning in his bed he gave up.

"Raven, are you still awake?"

"I am now, what's the matter Gar?" She muttered in a drowsy voice.

"I'm … feeling lonely … would you like to come up here … just to sleep?"

"I'm coming." She replied in a drowsy voice.

Raven floated up to his bed and slid under covers, which he was holding up for her. She settled in next to him and he spooned her. She moaned happily as he wrapped an arm around her. He began to caress her around her lower stomach while he kissed the nape of her neck and she continued to purr her approval. His hands wandered further south, tracing the curves of her waist towards her hips. Her T-Shirt was bunched up just over her hips and his hand skid over the folds of cloth onto her hip, which was unclothed. His eyes opened wide and he bolted into a sitting position at the foot of his bed. She raised her head from her pillow.

"Gar … what's the matter?"

"You … you aren't wearing any underwear!"

Raven sat up at the top of the bed, facing him. She pulled her T-Shirt off and tossed it on the floor.

"Now I'm not wearing anything."

Her legs were bent and her feet planted on the mattress with her knees pointing at the ceiling. Her legs were slightly spread and the full moon, which was rising on the horizon, peeked through the clouds and illuminated he upper bunk as it shone through the window. Raven's pale skin had a supernatural glow to it and Garfield's eyes locked onto her womanhood, which was smooth and hair free. It looked so welcoming and he felt his manhood swell and become as hard as a rock.

"You shaved it?" He asked in a whisper.

"Just before you dropped the celibacy bomb on me. Do you like what you see, Gar?"

"Oh yeah." He replied breathlessly. "But I'm feeling kind of overdressed right now."

"Allow me." She replied as she crawled towards him and pulled his boxers off.

She admired his manhood with a huge smile on her face. She then fell on her back and spread her legs, exposing herself to him, clearing inviting him to come in.

"Do you still want to be celibate?" She asked in a soft, seductive voice.

"I … I … I don't think so." He gasped as he fell upon her. As she arched her back she moaned and cried out "I love you!"

_About one hour later …_

The two young lovers were laying side by side, holding hands, naked on the narrow bed, while they both panted.

"Raven … you … were … amazing."

"So … were … you." She said between breaths. "You were … huge. Never … that … big before."

"I … didn't know … it was … possible … for a man … to have … two orgasms."

"I … had … five." She continued to pant.

They rested for a few minutes, until they finally caught their breaths.

"You promised me a magic carpet ride, but you went way beyond that … I thought I was going to die."

"I promised your mother that I would rock your world."

"You did more than that … I'm still shaking … wait … did you say you promised my mom you'd do this to me?"

"Yup … and I told her that I'm a better fuck than she is."

"I'll take your word for it … so … what now? What do we do next? There's no way we can do the celibacy thing after this."

Raven took a deep breath before answering. "How about we upgrade from boyfriend/girlfriend to engaged?"

He did a double take at her and they locked eyes with each other.

"For the record … that was a marriage proposal … right?" He asked as he gripped her hand even tighter.

"For the record, it was." She replied as she tightened her grip.

"Then for the record, I accept your marriage proposal." He pulled her into a hug. "So, when do we get married?"

"I haven't thought about that. How long have Starfire and Dick been engaged?"

"Over a year, and they still haven't set a date." He replied.

"OK, I don't want to wait that long, but I don't want to set a timetable right now either. Right now all I want to do is be with you."

Garfield pulled a blanket over them. She snuggled under it, pressing her body against his warmth. He wrapped his arms around her and they spooned for a second time that evening. The room fell silent and as they drifted off to sleep she experienced an emotion that rarely made it to the surface of her psyche.

She was happy.

_**-( scene break )-**_

That has to be the closest I have ever come to writing a lemon. I hope you could feel the tension I was trying to convey.

We'll see how Steve and Rita reacts to learning that they are engaged.


	17. The Mother in Law

It was already mid morning and a jumble of sheets and blankets on the bed began to rustle as they appeared to take on a life of their own, shifting and changing shape like a protozoa under a microscope. A green arm emerged from under the covers, pushing them away in a fell swoop.

"Raven?" He mumbled as he rubbed his eyes. "Where are you?"

He looked around his room, but there was no sign of his mate, that is until he saw a small envelope and a rose resting on her pillow. He picked up the rose and sniffed it. By its aroma he knew it was freshly cut, it looked like the ones she grew in her private garden in the Tower's rooftop greenhouse.

He picked up the envelope and opened it. It contained what looked like a greeting card that had a sunrise on its front, but no words. He opened the card and it had no preprinted message, but it did have a message from her, written in her own handwriting, which the changeling though was beautiful. The card read:

_Got up early and went out with Starfire. I didn't want to wake you up, you were sleeping so peacefully. I will be back in time for lunch. I haven't told anyone yet about our engagement, and I'd like for us to tell everyone together at lunch. Gar, you've made me so happy. I Love You._

_Raven/xoxoxo_

He smiled as he stuffed the card back into the envelope. He had a wistful look on his face and smile showed up.

"Dude, you're gonna get married." He whispered to himself.

_**-( scene break )-**_

_A few hours earlier…_

Raven and Starfire glided side by side over the tranquil water in the bay. The air was still cool and some seagulls could be heard crowing in the distance. Their destination was a large rock formation in the middle of the bay, a hangout for California Sea Lions when they weren't away on migration. Today the small, rocky island had no inhabitants and the two lady Titans alighted on the top of the rock formation. They sat down together and soaked in the morning ambiance. Raven looked very pensive while Starfire looked joyful as she always did. Still, she was curious as to why Raven brought her out to this remote rock in the middle of the bay, their only company being a container ship that just passed them and was on its way to the bridge and the open sea that waited beyond.

"You have brought me here to tell me of the personal matter you and Garfield had yesterday. You wish for the privacy, am I correct?"

Raven nodded. "That's right. I wanted to talk with you in private and there is no place in Tower for that right now."

Starfire shifted on her spot, clearly eager for Raven's news.

"Before I tell you what I told Garfield, I need to tell you about myself … you already know that I'm half human and I was born in Azarath, where I lived until turned 14 and left for Earth. What I need to tell you are facts about me that you don't know …"

Raven briefly pursed her lips before continuing.

"As you know I was raised by the monks of Azarath. They were committed to promoting peace and their job was to train me to resist my father. But I didn't have any sort of father figure to take Trigon's place. The monks protected me, but they didn't raise me, teach me morality, about what it means to be a young woman. That was pretty much ignored. All they did teach me was to love knowledge. This is why I was always reading when I was a teenager."

"The truth is that you guys raised me, as I told Trigon before I banished him. I learned a great deal from all of you. You taught me noble righteousness, Nightwing taught me to hunger for justice, Cyborg taught me to never give up. And Garfield … he taught me that I was worthy of being loved, even though I was Trigon's daughter and am a half demon."

She paused, and a sad look appeared on her face.

"Unfortunately you couldn't fully replace a pair of real parents. You all did a great job, but there were gaps, which I tried to fill by reading."

"I read a lot about philosophy. I sought to find meaning in it, trying to reconcile that I was the Gem with the feelings I had for all of you. Remember when I went through my "it's pointless" phase?"

"I do remember." The princess replied. "It was at its peak when Blackfire came to visit. I also remember you saying at dance club that the party was pointless and then the Goth boy approached you and said that everything was pointless, and you went off to talk with him."

"You're very observant Starfire and have an ironclad memory. I felt that way back then because everything I or anyone did was pointless, as I knew I was going to help bring my father into this dimension so he could destroy it. And that included love. There was no point in loving because in the end you would lose what you loved and all you would have left was pain. I really latched onto that belief and it stayed with me, even after Trigon was defeated."

Raven sighed.

"So one year after we beat Trigon, shortly after Gar found Terra I ran into the Goth boy at the "depressing café" as you used to call it. His name is Dylan. We reconnected and talked, mostly about the pointlessness of life and the pain it causes. I had defeated my father, but there was still evil in the world and nothing I did seem to make a difference. I was also very lonely. It didn't help to see you and Robin became a couple, that just rubbed salt into the wound. So I talked with Dylan and he introduced me to his clique, a bunch of Goths, guys and gals like himself. They were just a bunch of high school kids but at the time I thought they were cool. Dylan later explained to me that to drown out life's pain they filled themselves with pleasure."

"Pleasure? What do you mean Raven, there are many different kinds of pleasure."

"He meant sexual pleasure. I spoke with the girls and they told me that they engaged in casual sex with the guys, with no emotional or romantic entanglements. They did it purely for the carnal pleasure."

The princess nodded. "Yes, the 'friends with benefits,' I have read about it."

Raven slowly bowed her head and a sad look appeared on her face.

"The philosophy appealed to me as I always felt unlovable. The girls told me they felt the same way and that casual sex liberated them … so … I decided to give it a try."

"Oh … Raven." Starfire moaned unhappily.

"Yeah … I did it … with Dylan. My first time was with a self centered prick."

Raven sighed. "I didn't feel any pleasure with him … but I sure got the "I don't love you" part."

She sighed again. "Anyway, that's why I refused to call Gar my boyfriend for five long years. I was more than happy to share my body with him, but not my heart … at least not consciously. Deep down inside I knew I loved him, with a capital 'L'."

Starfire nodded sadly."So the memory of your first time, it is a burden, correct?"

"It is. One I will regret for the rest of my life."

"But now, you have a new life with your beloved." Starfire beamed.

Raven smiled back. "I do, though I did plenty of stupid things that could have destroyed that relationship. And that includes Dylan."

"Raven, this was before you were a couple. Has Garfield asked about your past?"

She shook her head. "No, he did not ask and I did not volunteer it. It was my shameful secret, that is … until I found out that Rita has known for years and had video footage of me having sex with Dylan."

"No!" Starfire gasped.

"She threatened to blackmail me with it, so I decided to come out into the open and tell Gar about it."

"How did he take the news?"

"Not well … it could have been worse, but he said something that will haunt me … he said that he learned something about me that he didn't like."

"Oh Raven … did he say what that was?"

She shook her head. "He didn't need to say, I know what he meant though. He was shocked that I went through with a one night stand … he's afraid that I'm … unreliable, that I might cheat again."

"No Raven, that is not true."

She shook her head again, a second time. "No, Starfire … it is. I love Garfield with all my soul … but … I love someone else too."

"You do?"

"Yes, I don't love him as much as I love Garfield, but I do love him. A while back he broke up with his girlfriend and had I not been with Gar at the time I would have snapped him up on the rebound. I occasionally fantasize about him, and it worries me Starfire. What if I have another fight with Gar? It could be Aqualad all over again."

Starfire looked very somber as she replied. "I understand your concern Raven, this is very troubling."

"It's more than troubling … I can't stand myself. I'm a horrible person. And it's worse, Starfire, it involves you. And to top it all off, last night I asked Gar to marry me, and he accepted."

She began to cry. "How could I do that to him? How could I ask him to marry me when I still think of someone else?"

Starfire now was clearly alarmed. "Raven, who is this other man. And why does it affect me?"

Raven choked back a sob. "Starfire … I'm in love with your boyfriend."

Starfire's face suddenly turned hard. "Have you told Garfield about this?"

"What? No! Of course not! Oh Azar … I told him that I don't have any more secrets, but that was a lie."

Starfire's jaw was trembling. "Raven … why do you want my Richard?"

"I don't … I'd never try to steal him from you … I just wish there was a switch I could flip and not love him anymore."

Raven threw her arms around Starfire. "I'm so sorry!"

The princess reluctantly hugged her back. "You have done nothing wrong, my friend. We Tamaranians know that feelings cannot be controlled. We can only control our actions, and so far you have controlled yours with regard to my beloved. I thank you for trusting me enough to tell me this, even though it caused me discomfort."

"You're a good friend, Starfire and I'm sorry for the distress I've caused you."

"It is OK, my friend. But this conversation will be our secret. Our beloveds must never know about this. With time your feelings for Richard will diminish. He will be your dear friend, just as Garfield is my dear friend."

"I … don't like secrets." Raven whimpered.

"In this case we shall make an exception … now we must return to the Tower as lunchtime approaches. But first we will go to my room to clean up. Our beloveds must not see your tears; especially if you are to announce your engagement."

"Starfire … is our engagement still … glorious?"

The princess smiled. "It is very glorious."

_**-( scene break )-**_

_An hour later …_

Raven and Starfire had freshened up and were riding the elevator up to the common room to join their teammates and lovers for lunch. The candid conversation on the island was still fresh in both women's minds as the lift swiftly rose. The doors slid open and after exiting the elevator Raven froze in her tracks as Steve and Rita, dressed in their civvies, were in the common room with the three male Titans. Steve turned to face the ladies.

"Some business came up with whoever shot us down in Uganda. More villages are being terrorized by those mutant animals. I came back to discuss a Doom Patrol/Titans joint effort."

Raven tuned out Mento's monologue and instead focused on Rita, who was sporting a sweet smile. Being the empath that she was, Raven could sense that her mother in law was also up to no good.

Garfield approached her and took her hand.

"You OK, Rae? I waited until you got back. I haven't told anyone yet."

"I'm a little out of sorts, but I'll be OK. I … uh … already told Starfire."

He grinned. "I'll bet she freaked."

"Actually, she kept her cool."

"Huh, imagine that." He replied as he turned to face their friends and family.

"Hey, everyone! Listen up, I have some great news! Last night Raven asked me to marry her and I accepted."

An enthusiastic round of applause was heard. Cyborg shouted a booyah before hugging his green buddy.

Nightwing hugged Raven, smiling happily at her and whispering in her ear "Way to go, Raven." She locked eyes with him and pecked him on the cheek. "Thanks, Dick."

Nightwing and Cyborg traded hugging partners and then stepped away, allowing the Daytons to congratulate the newly engaged couple, which they did somewhat less enthusiastically than the Titans.

Cyborg cleared his throat. "Ya'll couldn't have picked a better time, cuz I just prepared my patented spare ribs using my secret bar-b-cue sauce." He turned to the Daytons. "You folks are in for a treat."

Rita smiled as she stepped forward. "Garfield, would you be upset if Raven and I were to go out for lunch. I just want to have some one on one time with my future daughter-in-law, you know, a chance for us to get to know each other better. We can all go out together tonight to celebrate, Steve's buying of course."

"Of course." Mento replied as he crossed his arms. "The rich guy always pays for dinner."

"Oh Steve, don't be such a killjoy. And Cyborg, I'm sure your ribs are to die for, but like I said…"

Cyborg waved his hand dismissively. "No need to apologize, I understand. Besides, this way there's more for me."

Rita turned back to her son. "Well, Garfield?"

The changeling locked eyes with Raven, who gave him a subtle shrug.

"You'll be nice to her, right mom?"

"Garfield! Raven is practically my daughter now. Of course I'm going to be nice to her."

She then hooked her arm into one of Raven's arms. "Let's go dear, the limo downstairs is waiting."

As Rita practically dragged Raven out of the room, the violet haired girl turned to her fiancé. He shrugged his shoulders.

_**-( scene break )-**_

Raven was halfway through her salad when Rita cleared her throat. They were dining in the main restaurant in the Jump City Four Seasons hotel. Stuffy waiters scurried about and one stopped by and topped off their wine glasses. After he walked away Rita spoke up.

"Raven, dear, you've been so quiet."

The sorceress looked up from her plate.

"The last time you treated me to a meal, you read me the riot act and threatened to blackmail me." She replied in her best old school monotone.

"Yes, I suppose I did. You can' really blame me, can you? You were trying to tarnish my reputation, after all."

Raven arched an eyebrow. "Over fifty different lovers and you're worried about your reputation?"

"Now, now Raven. People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."

"I only had two flings." She growled.

Rita shrugged her shoulders. "Two, fifty, what's the difference?"

"Plenty, I would say."

Rita sighed. "Oh the self righteousness of youth … listen child, it's true, you've only had two one night stands, though one of them was a cheat … on my son … but he has forgiven you and therefore so will I."

"Why did you drag me out here?" Raven asked with a hint of impatience in her voice.

"Child, as you said the other day, we are stuck with each other and we need to make the best of it."

Raven put her fork down. "Fair enough … so … what's next?"

"We learn to respect each other."

"That seems reasonable." Raven replied. "What do you propose?"

"You think I'm a whore."

"I have never said that." Raven replied.

"I didn't say that you said it, just that you thought it."

"You did have over fifty lovers."

"Sixty seven to be precise. You had two. Face it dear, neither of us is "pure", but our men don't seem to mind."

"Fair enough … but why so many?"

"Oh child, I was in Hollywood. I was surrounded by pretty boys who were eager to please me. Some were one night stands; others were what you might call "friends with benefits". Things move fast in the movie business, as you move from project to project you meet new men, handsome young men, and aspiring actors with perfectly sculpted bodies and who are well endowed. I wasn't attached to anyone dear, and when I was between movies that's when the friends with benefits came in handy, nothing like a booty call with a hunk to bring some cheer to an otherwise ordinary night."

"I see you enjoyed your lovers. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy mine. So, tell me Rita, how did Steve drag you away from that life of glamour?"

"It is unfortunate that you didn't enjoy yours, especially the boy from Atlantis, he is handsome enough to be in the movies."

"I've learned that good looks aren't everything."

Rita smiled at the sorceress. "Good, your experience wasn't a waste then."

"What do you mean?"

Rita sipped her wine.

"Do you have any idea why I gave that all up? And before you say money, I have my own money. I saved up almost 100 million from my movies. Sure, that's chump change compared to what Steve has, but I'm hardly a pauper."

"That would have been the obvious reason. So why?"

Rita sighed. "Steve made me feel special."

"Special? You were a movie star, you already were special."

Rita shook her head. "I thought I was. I had handsome men who were eager to please me in bed. I had fans, I was even nominated for an Academy Award, didn't win it though."

"So, what did he do?"

"Don't laugh dear, but … he treated me like a lady, like a princess … and then …" She sniffled "He told me that he loved me."

"Hmmm … Gar tells me that every day."

"You have no idea of how lucky you are, child."

"Actually, I do know … so, that's what made you give up your friends with benefits?"

"Yes … plus Steve is … how can I put it … imposing? All my pretty boys were a bunch of sniveling wimps by comparison. Steve was a real man, and he wanted me … then the accident happened and I became a freak … and he still wanted me. So you see Raven, it was a no brainer. For the first time in my life I followed my heart, and I'll never go back to my previous life. I'm not ashamed of it, I have good memories from those days … but … I outgrew them."

"I see, are you ever tempted to go back to the old lifestyle?"

"Of course I am, but I'm not stupid, I have far more to lose than gain by doing something boneheaded like that."

"I know about boneheaded mistakes. I made one myself."

"Yes you did, dear. You are a fortunate woman and that's the main reason I brought you here, to warn you of a possible danger."

Raven furrowed her brow. "A possible danger? What are you talking about?"

"Raven, your furtive experiences are limited to two one night stands. One with that wretched Goth Boy who used you and the other one with the pretty boy you didn't enjoy because you were feeling guilty."

"I don't follow you. What are you trying to tell me?"

"Raven, one night stands are rare and brief. You usually won't get caught in one, and the only damage they usually cause are feelings of guilt. The real danger to your marriage are the friends with benefits."

"I've never had one."

"You have one brewing under your nose."

"What?" Raven asked, the apprehension was clear in her voice. "Who?"

"Who else child? I'm talking about Grayson."

Raven became petrified. How could she possibly know?

"Oh don't act surprised, child. I didn't even need to spy on you to figure that out."

"I – I would never … sure, I like Dick but …"

"At least you aren't in denial, that's good. Now that you're aware you can steer as clear as possible from him. And don't get me wrong dear, I fully understand. He's strong, good looking and an imposing leader. Plus he's a very close friend, someone you are emotionally intimate with. He's someone you might turn to if you hit a rough patch with Garfield. And Grayson might be willing too. I know about the anatomical incompatibilities between Humans and Tamaranians. Trust me dear, he's going to want a hole his peg fits into properly."

Raven became wide eyed.

"I see you already know of his predicament. Let me guess, he told you himself. You see, Raven, you're already the perfect candidate for him. He won't try to steal you from Garfield, but that doesn't mean he's above cheating."

"I won't cheat on Garfield again, I swore that to him. I will be faithful no matter what."

Rita sipped her wine again.

"You better be faithful, child. If you break his heart again … I'll break your neck."

_**-( scene break )-**_

So much turmoil! Do you believe Rita's story? Do you think that there is danger of infidelity with Nightwing?

Next chapter we go back to Africa.


	18. Temptation

The dinner that night was a pleasant affair. Rita had booked at table at the Café de la Mer, which was Jump City's most exclusive restaurant and was located on the bay side. Raven almost choked when she saw the prices on the menu. Grayson, being Wayne's former protégé, was no doubt accustomed to dining as such pricey establishments as was Garfield. Starfire was royalty, and she too didn't bat an eye when the menu was handed to her, and she ordered one of the priciest dishes. Cyborg looked befuddled and finally asked the waiter if they had a menu in English.

The table was a large circular piece of furniture. Rita and Steve sat next to each other. Garfield sat beside his mother, followed by Raven, Nightwing, Starfire and finally Cyborg who was also seated next to Steve.

After ordering their meals Rita instructed the waiter to bring them some champagne for everyone, preferably Dom Perignon. Raven had seen it in the wine menu … $400 a bottle. The waiter quickly returned with a bottle of the bubbly and seven champagne flutes. He popped the cork on the first bottle and filled the flutes, leaving the bottle and its remaining contents in an ice bucket.

Rita rose to her feet, holding the champagne in her hand, raising it for a toast.

"To Garfield and Raven, on this day of their engagement, which they celebrate today with family and close as well as…" she glanced at Nightwing. "… intimate friends."

Raven did her best to smile but felt a chill run down her spine upon hearing Rita's words. She recovered and clinked glasses with everyone.

"So Raven, what do you think about becoming a Dayton?" Steve asked her.

"I … hadn't really thought of that … maybe a Logan perhaps, though I was planning of keeping my mother's name: Roth."

"Raven Roth Logan … it does have nice ring to it." Rita remarked.

"Actually … just Raven Roth." She corrected the elastic woman.

Rita smiled. "How very modern of you … I suppose that in this day and age where half of all marriages end in divorce that could be considered prudent."

"I have no intention of having a failed marriage; I just don't see why a woman should take on her husband's name. I'm not Garfield's property."

"Of course you aren't. It makes perfect sense for a modern and independent woman to keep her autonomy … it's always good to keep your options open." Rita remarked as she glanced at Nightwing.

Raven frowned but decided to let the loaded remark slide. Soon dinner was served and consumed without further incident. Some cordials were consumed and the group rose from the table. The Daytons had a private jet waiting at the airport and they bid everyone fair well. As they were about to leave, Rita turned around and made an announcement.

"After we deal with whoever is behind the mutant animals in Africa we'll have a proper celebration at the Long Island estate. Everyone is invited, of course."

The Daytons boarded their limo and were soon gone. As the five Titans prepared to board the T-Car Nightwing leaned over and whispered into Raven's ear taking advantage of Gar being distracted while he chatted with Starfire. "Is there something going on with Rita I should know about? She kept looking at me."

"Not here." Raven whispered back. "In private."

"Sure, my office, right after we get home. Bring Gar too."

"No, just you and me." She retorted.

"Are you sure?"

"I am." She replied.

They finished boarding the car and headed home.

_**-( scene break )-**_

Dick's office hadn't changed much over the years. The walls were covered with papers and news clippings. The desk was buried under piles of paperwork, gadgets and other crime related paraphernalia. There was one addition that wasn't present during the old "Robin" days"" a glass tube with a spotlight above it, which contained a perfectly preserved Robin costume and mask that were mounted on a mannequin. Nightwing was tracing his finger on the glass, remembering the past when relationships were so much simpler. He almost didn't hear the soft knock on the door.

"Come in."

The door slid open and Raven walked in.

"Are you absolutely sure Garfield shouldn't be here?"

"I am … he's playing video games with Cyborg, so we have some time."

"Time for what?" He asked. "What the heck was Rita talking about?"

Raven sighed. "I had a chat with her over lunch."

"How did that go? Did she threaten to blackmail you again?"

Raven sat down on a chair and crossed her arms. "No, this time she threatened to break my neck."

"Really? What's her problem this time?"

"She warned me to never break his heart again."

He shrugged. "Ok, that seems fair enough … did she bring up your two flings?"

"She did, but she quickly dismissed them."

"But there was something else, right?"

"Yes, she warned me about having 'friends with benefits'."

"That's an odd warning; you've never had any, at least none that I know of. Booty calls don't strike me as your style, Raven. Why did she bring that up … does she suspect someone?"

"As a matter of fact she does."

"Really? And just who would that be?"

"You."

"Me!?"

"Yes, you."

A silence fell over the room. The two friends stared at each other. After a long pause Raven broke the silence.

"You know I have feelings for you."

He gave her side glance glare.

"You're playing with fire, Raven."

"You think I don't know that?"

"I just thought I'd remind you."

She heaved a small sigh. "Dick, do you have feelings for me?"

He shrugged. "Does it matter?"

"You tell me."

"You know how I feel."

"Do I, "big brother"?"

Nightwing sat down next to her.

"Raven … this is a bad idea … I'm going through another tough patch with Star. I don't need you teasing me, especially when you probably can't deliver."

"I can't?"

"Do you really want to risk losing him again?"

"No, of course not … I'm … just wondering, you know … since what you told me in LA."

"That was two years ago, Raven. I had just broken up with Starfire."

She nodded. "I know … I'm not serious about this, it's just that Rita saw something between us … so what's happening with you and Starfire?"

He got up and began to pace around the room nervously.

"Dammit Raven, you couldn't have picked a worse time to tell me this."

"So what's wrong with you and Starfire?"

He grimaced before replying.

"The sex … with the prosthetic … it just isn't working out."

"I see … have the two of you considered reconstructive surgery?"

He scowled. "What are you talking about?"

"I've read that surgeons have become quite adept at rebuilding vaginas, changing their size."

Dick shook his head. "You read too much … and besides, I could never ask her to mutilate herself for me."

"You should at least bring it up … she might be willing … it could be the solution that ..."

"Raven … can it, I don't want to talk about it!" He snapped at her.

The sorceress looked miffed upon hearing the remark. She relaxed and emitted a soft sigh.

"So what do we do about our mutual feelings? You have a girlfriend you're probably going to lose."

"We do nothing!" He thundered. "There can be nothing between us."

"And yet there is. Denying it changes nothing."

He slammed his fist on the desk. "Are you nuts? You're engaged."

"I am engaged." She replied in a calm voice. "That is why we need to do something about this."

"If Starfire finds out …"

"I already told her."

"YOU DID WHAT!? Are you insane?"

"I thought it would be better to be open with her about it."

Grayson sat down on his chair, burying his face in his hands. "I don't believe this … have you also told Gar?"

"No, I haven't. Starfire and I agreed to tell neither of you … but I had to tell you. We need to deal with this, Dick. Pretending that those feelings aren't there will only end in disaster."

He raised his head and locked eyes with her. "Raven, we can't act on these feelings. How do you think I would feel seeing you walk down the aisle and marrying Gar if we cheated on him behind his back? And would the cheating stop after the wedding? I don't think so. I can't live that way, not again. Star would never forgive me if she found out."

"I can't cheat on him either." She replied. "But I can't be around you and not act on my feelings for you."

Grayson moaned in an exasperated tone. "Then we can't be together, not for a while anyway."

"What do you propose?"

He propped his head against the wall and leaned against it.

"There's only one solution … I'm going to send you both away."

"Away? Where?"

"Well, there are two choices. I could send you to Titans East on an exchange program; maybe trade you for Speedy and Aqualad, if he ever returns from Atlantis. Bumblebee can't know why I'm really sending you there. If she did Gar would eventually find out, and you don't want that."

"What's the other choice?" She asked.

"You transfer to the Doom Patrol."

"You're joking."

"I have bad news for you, Raven. You won't be able to stay with Titans East forever. Two, maybe three months tops. What will you do after that? The Doom Patrol might be your only choice."

"We could become an independent duo. Maybe move to another city."

Dick resumed pacing around the room. "We could have you be a remote team in another city."

He sighed as he picked up an old portrait from his desk. The picture was taken a few months after they defeated the Brotherhood of Evil. The five of them were posing at their usual table at the wedge shaped pizzeria. Dick was wearing his traffic light Robin costume. They were all wearing their original costumes and were smiling for the camera, except for Raven of course.

"I can't believe we were ever that young … life was so much simpler back then." He murmured to himself.

"That was before Dylan."

"It was before a lot of things." He added

He put the picture back down."I'll call Karen to make the arrangements … what are you going to tell Gar?"

"That we need to get away from here for a while … too many bad memories … he'll agree to it, And it's actually truthful. I'll tell him that it was my idea."

"Good thinking … that'll give me time to make the arrangements for you guys to be permanently remote. Any ideas where you'd like to go?"

"No idea … I suppose far away is better. I'll think of something" She replied. "It'll be better that way."

"You and Gar will still be members of the team."

"I know, we'll come visit periodically … Starfire said that with time my feelings for you will diminish."

"Will they?"

She locked eyes with him "No, I'll always love you."

Dick pulled her into a hug and after hesitating for a few seconds, he kissed her. Raven wrapped her arms around his neck, and wrapped her right leg around him, running it up and down his left leg. His right hand slid down to her butt, which he began to caress. They continued their impromptu make out session for a few minutes, until they both jerked and pulled away from each other. They stared into each other's eyes, breathing heavily.

"You'd better go … before we do something we'll both regret." He gasped.

She nodded hastily. "You're right ... I'll go."

Raven left him without looking back. Dick sat back down on his chair and cradled his head in his hands.

"What the hell is wrong with me?" He moaned.

_**-( scene break )-**_

The commercial airliner began its takeoff run along the main runway at Jump City International Airport. The Chromatically Challenged Couple were seated in the First Class section as the Steele City bound flight took off. The T-Ship was down for maintenance so they used public transportation. Their fellow passengers in the First Class cabin, mostly business men and women, cast furtive glances at them but did not engage them in conversation.

Garfield had enthusiastically agreed to Raven's suggestion to a three month exchange with Titans East. Speedy was on his way, also flying commercial in the opposite direction. The changeling was being his usual jovial self, wise cracking bad jokes to his fiancée while she remained stone faced.

"Rae! Are you OK? You look like you're sick." He asked.

Raven was feeling sick. She was feeling terrible. Of all the times why did her old feelings for Dick have to flare up now?

_Where did they come from?_ She pondered to herself. Sure, she had long running crush on him from the earliest days of the team, but it was just a crush. How did it suddenly mushroom into the powerful, passionate and lustful explosion that she struggled to contain? And right after she proposed to Garfield. The guilt and feelings of hypocrisy were consuming her, eating her alive. How could this happen again, so soon after the Aqualad fiasco?

The easiest way out would have been to break off the engagement and to announce that she was now Nightwing's girlfriend. There was a certain allure to that terrible approach, but there was huge flaw in it: she was still in love with Garfield. And deep down she knew she's rather lose Dick than her green fiancé.

She sighed. Hopefully the change in scenery would help her screw her head back on the right way. It just made no sense. She was Gar's lover of five years and was deeply in love with him. Was Rita possibly right with her assessment that Dick was an Alpha male and that is what attracted Raven to him? Gar was a laid back and relaxed kind of guy, definitely not an alpha type. That didn't mean that he was weak or lacked leadership skills. But he was the kind of guy who was happy to defer the leadership role to an alpha like Dick.

Raven subtly shook her head. This was not a case of "nice guy syndrome." Raven wanted to marry him, and not just because he was a nice guy. When they made love he touched her very soul and made her body vibrate. There was no doubt in her mind that he was the right guy for her.

And yet, she couldn't stop thinking about Dick.

She considered meditating and entering Nevermore, but she hesitated as she was afraid of what she might find in the deepest recesses of her mind.

"I need to mediate."

"Is something wrong?"

"No" She lied. "I'm … just overdue."

He shrugged his shoulders. "Sure, you go ahead. I'll make sure no one bugs you."

She pecked him on the cheek. "Thanks … have I ever told you that you're a great guy?"

He grinned at her remark."Oh … maybe once or twice."

Raven loosened her seat belt the raised her legs onto the ample first class seat. She crossed them and formed a mudra with her hands, ready to meditate. She softly began to whisper her mantra.

_Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos, Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos, Azarath …_

Raven soon found herself standing in the green meadow that a young Beast Boy once described as being the source of air fresheners. She found herself facing four of her emoticlones.

Clad in yellow and wearing her horn rimmed eyeglasses was knowledge. Next to her where two Ravens clad in different shades of pink: Love and Lust. Finally, there was an emoticlone wearing a brown cape and hood, who kept her face hidden under her hood. Raven cleared her throat.

"OK, let's get to the point … what the hell is wrong with me? I'm engaged to a wonderful man that I love, who is an incredible lover and is sweet and forgiving. So why the Trigon do I have feelings for Dick?"

Knowledge spoke up first. "Your feelings for Grayson are much older than you think, they are even older than the feelings you have for Garfield."

"It is true." Love added. "Our feelings for him have been strong since he rescued us from Trigon's pit and he encouraged us to fight back against father."

"Yes, I understand that, but I always thought of Dick as a big brother."

"That's how you wanted to feel about him." Love interjected. "It was easier to fool ourselves at first, when we were still youngsters. But as we became adults those feelings could no longer be entirely suppressed. Starting the relationship with Garfield help hide those feelings."

"And having lots and lots of hot sex with our green hunk also helped." Lust added. "But now that Dick's all grown up he's quite the sex toy himself and he's rather desirable himself, especially since he's frustrated with his defective Barbie doll."

"Don't talk about Starfire like that!" Raven snapped.

"Whatever, the bottom line is that they can't do the nasty, so naturally he's turned his attention to you, being that you're anatomically correct, even if he's unaware of what he's doing. He wants you Raven. He's been emotionally intimate with you for a very long time. Sex with you is just the next logical step for him. And don't deny it; you'd like a roll in the hay with him." Lust concluded.

"This situation is unacceptable. How am I supposed to resist?" Raven complained.

The emoticlone with the brown outfit lowered her hood and stepped forward. She had a gloomy face.

"That's my job." She announced in a meek voice.

Raven frowned. "Who are you supposed to be?"

"I am known by many names: Guilt and self loathing are my most common ones."

Raven pursed her lips. "You've been working overtime lately. But that only helps in the short term. I need to have a healthy relationship with Gar; I can't do that if I'm pining for Dick."

Knowledge addressed her. "You will always have feelings for Grayson, and they will always be more than Platonic. But with time they will subside and decrease. You can expedite this by staying away from him and focusing on our soul mate."

"Is that all you have to offer?"

"Oh quit yer bitchin' Raven." Lust smirked. "Gar is a AAA+ fuck, he'll help us forget about Grayson."

"That's your answer for everything." Raven snapped. "Have a problem? Get laid!"

"Lust does have a point." Knowledge interrupted. "Carnal pleasure can help us forget about Grayson, and if anyone has proven he can rock our world, it's our Garfield."

"Fine … I don't know if your advice is any good, but at least I'll have a grand time putting it to the test." Raven agreed reluctantly.

The gray sorceress opened her eyes and saw that her seat tray had been lowered and there was a plate of grilled salmon, rice pilaf and asparagus in front of her, with a glass of Chardonnay next to it.

"You came back just at the right time. They just served lunch. I figured that you'd want the salmon."

Raven was still a bit out of sorts, but after smelling the food her stomach grumbled.

"This is exactly what I wanted … how did you know?"

He leaned over and pecked her on the cheek. "How did I know? I'm your soul mate."

Raven took a bite of the honey glazed salmon. There were perks with flying first class. As she savored her meal, she realized that maybe the girls were right and that things would be OK after all. Dick wouldn't be in Steele City and she would have Gar all to herself with no distractions.

What could possibly go wrong?

_**-( scene break )-**_

Some more Raven trivia: Her mantra (Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos) was unique to the TV show. I have never seen her use it in the comics. In the later comics Raven is sometimes portrayed as a bit of a "new ager" and often wears an Egyptian Ankh on a necklace.


	19. An Unexpected Offer

_One week later …_

The early morning sunlight was shining through a crack in the bedroom curtains. The rooms in the east coast tower were somewhat smaller and cozier than those in the original Tower in Jump, plus being three time zones away it wasn't unusual for the guest couple to sleep in, especially after a late night sex marathon, which sometimes would run as late as 3 AM.

Raven had taken it upon herself to drag them both into the new time zone and from the day they arrived she made sure they slept in no later than 8 AM, much to her lover's daily protests.

Today, though, was different. Bumblebee had run off to meet with Robin in Jump City, and would be gone all day. Mas Y Menos would be gone for three whole days, attending a cousins wedding in Guatemala. The tower was theirs and Titans East was officially "offline", which meant there would be no missions today. The alarm clock's LED display indicated that it was now approaching 9 AM.

Raven rolled over, pressing her unclothed body against his. He was warm and she snuggled up to him as his "morning wood" rubbed against her thighs. She felt a shiver run down her spine as her arousal intensified. She was tempted to wake him and have a morning roll in the hay with him, but he was sleeping so peacefully that she decided that it could wait.

She pulled away from him and sat up on the edge of the bed. Suddenly craving a cup of tea she hopped off the bed, scooped up the oversized T shirt she shed the night before and slipped it on before heading to the kitchen.

The tower was quiet as she navigated its now familiar layout, which differed from the T shaped building on the west coast she called home for years. The kitchen was dark and her bare feet squeaked on the shiny marble floor. She filled the electric kettle with water, turned it on and dropped two slices of bread into the toaster. Soon her tea and toast, spread with strawberry jam, were ready and she sat down to read the news paper on a datapad while she consumed her breakfast.

Several minutes passed and she finished the toast and the tea. She shut off the datapad and cleared the table. Just as she was about to return to her room to wake her sleeping lover she heard footsteps approach. She smiled and decided to wait for him in the kitchen.

"About time you got up." She teased his still unseen figure.

The sun was shining brightly behind the entrance to the kitchen/common room area and a silhouetted male figure appeared and entered the room. Raven continued to beam.

"There's no one here but us … want to have a go at it right here on the kitchen table?" She asked in a sensuous voice.

Her smile suddenly vanished and she glared at the no longer shrouded arrival.

"What the hell are you doing here!?"

"I could ask you the same question … I happen to live here, in case you forgot."

"Not according to Bumblebee, you don't." She retorted.

"I just received a message from her, asking me to come to the Tower. So I do live here."

"She was summoning you to the Jump City Tower, you idiot!"

"What? She's not here?" A confused Aqualad asked.

"Did you even read the message?" Raven fumed.

Aqualad bristled at the remark. "I didn't receive it myself. I was told by one of the King's messengers that I was summoned to the Tower … and what are you doing here?"

Raven crossed her arms looking very uncomfortable, painfully aware that all she was wearing was a long T-shirt.

"I'm on a three month exchange."

Aqualad leaned on the table. "I see, so who was that you were expecting to walk through that door? Speedy? Or was it Mas or Menos … or both … are you into ménage a trois?"

Raven seethed at the interloper. "Not that it's any of your business, but I was expecting my fiancé."

"You're engaged? That was quick … anyone I know?"

"It's Garfield, you moron! Who else would it be?"

The Atlantean burst into laughter.

"Beast Boy? You mean you made up with him? You know … after he caught you red handed with me."

He began to laugh even louder. "What a chump!"

He formed an "L" on his forehead with his thumb and index finger.

"What a loser … he asked you to marry him, after he saw me banging you on your own bed …"

Raven screamed her displeasure and blasted him with her dark energy, sending him careening into a wall. HE shook his head, dazed from the impact.

"Ow!" He complained. "What was that for?"

"For being an ass, consider yourself lucky I didn't use all my power. And I asked him to marry me." She corrected him in a biting tone.

Aqualad slowly rose to his feet, rubbing the shoulder that bore the brunt of the impact.

"So you had a change of heart … I thought you were in love with me."

"Be quiet, Garth. You don't want to make me angry." She hissed.

"You said that you were in love with me since the day we met." He replied, clearly ignoring her threat.

"You took advantage of me when I was weak."

"The mighty Raven … weak? I don't think so. You took me to your room. You asked me to undress you … you even undressed me …"

Tears began to well in her eyes.

"You wanted me and you know it. I even played hard to get and you wouldn't take no for an answer."

"I wasn't myself." She stammered.

He grinned maliciously. "Sure … that's what all the girls say … you weren't even drunk Raven, you knew exactly what you were doing."

"Shut up." She snapped, fighting back her tears. "You almost ruined my life."

"Nuh uh, you almost ruined your life. I was making your life better; at least you'll be able to say that you let a real man fuck you … so now you can go back to your consolation prize. "

He laughed again. "Neptune's beard … what a pathetic loser, he took you back after seeing us together in bed."

Raven clenched her teeth. "I've made love with a real man, and it wasn't you. And yes … he forgave me … I know how lucky and undeserving I am of that pardon, I don't need you to tell me that."

He chuckled. "Beast Boy, a real man? Now that's funny."

"His name is Changeling."

Aqualad quickly approached Raven and she backed up to maintain the distance between them.

"Stay away from me."

He continued chuckling. "C'mon Raven … you … me … good times. We're alone here, no one will have to know ... it'll be our little secret … I won't even tell Beast Boob."

"I'm warning you, stay away from me."

"We have some unfinished business, Raven. Or have you forgotten?"

She gasped in disbelief. "I'm not some love sick girl who is pining for you."

"You know you want me, there's no point in denying it ... are you wearing anything under that T-shirt? I hope you're not."

A small housefly entered the kitchen, unnoticed. It buzzed around, until it landed on a countertop behind the Atlantean.

"This is my final warning, back off or you'll learn a new meaning for pain." She snarled at him.

"Raven, let's stop playing games, why won't you just admit that …"

Aqualad was interrupted by a tap on his shoulder. He turned around and shrieked when he saw a giant green Sasquatch standing behind him. A giant green fist connected with his face, sending him tumbling to the floor. Changeling resumed his human form and stared angrily at the supine Atlantean.

"What a fucking asshole … Rae … why were you putting up with his crap?"

"I wasn't … I threatened to hurt him." She stammered.

"I heard that … but you didn't hurt him… why?"

She locked eyes with him. "I don't know … I guess I didn't want to hurt him … it doesn't seem right to hurt a fellow Titan."

Gar rubbed his fist. "It felt damn good to me … I've been waiting a long time for this day, I never guessed he would be a tool and make it easy to justify kicking his ass."

Aqualad suddenly sat up, rubbing his jaw. "You green piece of shit. Why in Poseidon's name did you do that?"

"She told you to back off, ass wipe."

Aqualad wiped some blood away from his mouth and glared at the changeling.

"You want a fight, Beast Boy? You got one."

"The name's Changeling, fish stick."

"When I'm done with you, Raven will be begging me to finish what we started in her room. You know she wants a real man and not a pathetic little runt like …"

Aqualad's face encountered a second fist, this time a gray one. He collapsed onto the floor, this time he was out for the count. Raven nursed her bruised fist as she stared at him while a vengeful smile appeared on her face.

"You're right, that did feel damn good." She huffed.

Gar wrapped an arm around her shoulder and she leaned into him.

"Gar … I'm so sorry ..."

"It's all in the past, Rae."

She shook her head. "No, it's right in front of us. My mistake … my betrayal, it's always going to haunt me."

"It's OK, Raven. After seeing you punch him like that, there's no doubt in my mind that you regret what you did, and to be honest, I really enjoyed seeing you clobber him. I know that you'll never cheat on me again."

Raven's eyes trembled as she recalled the wreck that almost happened in Nightwing's office the week before. She wrapped her arms around Gar, squeezing him tightly.

"I don't deserve you." She whimpered.

"Don't be silly, of course you do … I have an idea." He said as he picked Aqualad up by his belt. "Let's toss this loser into a holding cell and then go back to our room … I'm suddenly in the mood for some "quality time" with my fiancée."

Raven smiled. "I think that's a great idea."

_**-( scene break )-**_

_A little over one hour later …_

The Chromatically Challenged Couple™ were resting under the covers, both softly snoring when Raven's communicator trilled. She groaned unhappily as she reached for it. She rubbed her eyes before checking the display to see who was calling. To her chagrin it was Nightwing and she didn't answer the call. The communicator continued trilling, demanding a response. After the fourth ring the changeling woke up.

"Who's calling?" He asked in a drowsy voice.

With a sigh of self resignation she flipped her communicator open. Nightwing's masked face appeared on the screen.

"Did you guys go back to bed?"

"There's nothing else to do today." Raven replied curtly. "And how do you know that we got up?"

"Aqualad told me."

The changeling sat up in the bed. "He did what?"

Nightwing grinned. "He called me 10 minutes ago on his communicator. He says you guys beat him up and tossed him into a cell."

"Did he tell you why we did that?" Raven hissed.

Nightwing had to suppress a laugh. "No, it was pretty obvious that he provoked you, at least that's what we saw on the security footage. … anyway, that's not why I'm calling. You need to report to the Dayton Estate before the end of the day. We're all going to rendezvous there and were off to Uganda tomorrow. Those mutant animals are ramping up their attacks and this time we're getting to the bottom of it."

"Great." Raven muttered. "A visit with the in-laws."

"What do we do about Aqualad?" Gar asked.

"What else? Turn him loose. Bumblebee already ordered him back to Atlantis. He's off the team indefinitely. I'll let you guys go, Steve and Rita are expecting you, don't keep them waiting. We'll see you there tonight. Nightwing out."

Raven flipped her communicator shut. "Well, we'd better get ready to go."

_**-( scene break )-**_

Raven's astral bird landed in front of the stately manor and as it melted away it left behind the green and gray couple, who did not look thrilled about their visit to Dayton Manor. They were greeted by Steve and Rita, whose demeanor was warmer than usual.

"Garfield, Raven, welcome home." Rita greeted them.

"We're glad you came early, you're in time for lunch." Steve added.

Lunch was a subdued affair, prepared by Rita and mostly punctuated by talk about the mission to Africa. Once it was done, Mento spoke up.

"I hope you ladies don't mind but I'd like to have some one on one time with Garfield."

"I don't mind at all dear, what do you say Raven sweetheart?"

Raven understood that Mento's request was not optional. It also meant that she would once again be alone with Rita. Raven stifled a sigh. She knew that if she was really going to marry Garfield that the Daytons were going to become part of her life, whether she like it or not and that she might as well get used to it.

"I suppose the boys need some guy time together." Raven replied, wondering just what Steve was going to talk about with her beau.

"I won't keep him long … follow me this way, Garfield."

The two men walked away and were soon out of sight from the covered deck where they had lunch, disappearing into the vastness of the estate. Rita cleared her throat.

"Don't worry Raven, Steve's not going to try to talk Garfield out of marrying you."

"So … does that mean you've accepted me?"

"I suppose we have, though there is something I wish to discuss with you."

Raven bit her lip. She had learned that when Rita wanted to "discuss" something, that meant that something unpleasant for Raven would be "discussed".

"What would that be?"

"Have some more tea dear … so tell me … how are you handling Grayson these days?"

_**-( scene break )-**_

The Dayton Estate was over 100 acres of well manicured land and provided ample room to explore. Steve and Garfield hiked quietly until they had put some distance between themselves and the house. They came upon a concrete bench along the trail and Steve gestured to the changeling to have a seat. Both men sat and Garfield wasted no time.

"You only bring me to the bench when there's something important to talk about. So what is it?"

"I brought you here to talk about your mother … you're disturbed with her."

"You think?"

"Garfield … she's a woman."

"A loose woman."

Mento leaned back into the bench.

"If by that you mean she had an active love and sex life before she met me, then yes, she did. I had a love life of my own before I met her too. When you're rich there's never a shortage of young pretty things willing to hop into bed with you."

"Sounds like you were made for each other."

"Maybe we were, and not in the way you're thinking. Garfield, unlike your mother I don't think that casual sex before is necessarily a good thing. Sure, I had fun bedding all those women but as I got older I realized that I was missing out on something … you know … love … intimacy. I quickly realized that I wasn't going to find that with my usual retinue of lovers."

"One day I was in LA on business and I met your mother at dinner hosted by one of my business associates. We quickly hit it off. I had never dated a movie star before and I asked her out for dinner the next day. I suppose I was lucky that she wasn't shooting at the time and she accepted my offer."

"So the big bad billionaire swept the super hot Hollywood starlet off her feet and into bed?"

"Actually … no … it didn't work that way. Believe it or not Garfield, we never had casual sex."

"You mean that you and mom waited until you were married?" He scoffed.

"Did you and Raven wait?"

"I see your point … so you guys waited until you were a couple."

"We dated for four months before deciding to go exclusive."

"And she quit cold turkey, just like that?" He asked with a hint of skepticism in his voice.

"Actually, from what she told me later … she ramped down as she became infatuated with me. She told me that she first gave up the one night stands … and so did I, there were a lot of frustrated young socialites in the Hamptons when I made that decision. As time progressed she said good bye to her friends with benefits … I didn't have any, I guess in my book if you slept with a girl more than once she was your girlfriend."

"So mom gave it all up to become your girlfriend?"

"Not at first, there was one guy that was more than a friend with benefits but not quite a boyfriend either. He was an Italian guy, a stuntman … his name was Sergio. I learned about him by accident … it was two months after we became a couple … I was at your mother's apartment after a night out on the town, just having some small talk before going to bed. The phone rang … you know, a land line with an old fashioned answering machine with a cassette tape in it. So it rings and she ignores it … so the machine answers and tells the caller to leave a message. You remember the old answering machines, you could hear the incoming call and screen it. Turns out it was Sergio, calling to tell her what a great time they had the other day and that he wants to see her again before he would head off for a shoot in Toronto."

"Oh snap, that probably didn't go over well."

"I'll give your mother credit; she came clean with me on the spot. She had been seeing Sergio off and on for a few years and that he was the last guy she had left to break off with. Of course I was furious and I broke up with her."

"You broke up with mom? I never heard about this before." Garfield gasped.

"We don't like to talk about it. It was the low point in our relationship, Garfield. I was hurt and I felt betrayed. That's the thing about having emotional investment in a relationship, you can get hurt. It is just easier to be friends with benefits, it's less rewarding but you don't get hurt as much."

The changeling shook his head in amazement. "I guess you did forgive her."

"I did … it took time, but eventually we were able to put that behind us. And in case you're wondering, she's been faithful to me ever since … your mother was transitioning out of an old lifestyle and into a new one, and she was doing it for me. That weighed a great deal in my decision to forgive her."

Garfield became very quiet for a while and stared at the ground for a few minutes before looking back at his adoptive father.

"I know a lot of people think that I'm stupid for forgiving Raven."

"It doesn't matter what people think, son. All that matters is what you think, it's your choice to make and you chose to forgive her. It was your decision and you own it. Whether or not it was the right one, time will reveal that … I just want you to know that you have my full support. We still have our reservations about Raven but we're willing to give her a chance. And if it doesn't work out … I promise to never say I told you so."

"Thanks Dad … that means a lot to me."

Mento patted him on the shoulder.

"Let's get back to the house before your mother sends a search party to look for us."

_**-( scene break )-**_

"… how are you handling Grayson these days?" Rita asked.

Raven bristled but calmed herself before replying. "We moved to the Titans East Tower."

Rita sipped some of her tea. "A wise move, but you still have a long term problem dear."

Raven crossed her arms in a defensive gesture. "I do?"

Rita nodded. "You do, but before you conjure one of those black bubbles of yours to shut me out, I have a story to share with you."

"OK … I'm listening." She replied, her arms still crossed over her chest.

"I'm going to keep this short and sweet. Before I met Steve I had more than a few lovers …"

"That's already public knowledge." The sorceress huffed.

"Don't get cheeky dear, this is something you need to know … I meet Steve at a party, and he captivated me … you need to understand something, he isn't the most handsome man I've known or slept with, not by a long shot. But when I met him … something stirred in me, and I knew I finally met the right guy, don't ask me how I knew, I just did. I began to change my behavior … my friends with benefits were disappointed to say the least."

"So you changed, just like that? You'll have to forgive me … but that's hard to believe."

"Believe it; I experienced something with Steve that was completely new to me … intimacy … and love. For the first time in my life I actually fell in love."

"That's very touching, but does this have to do with me?"

"Aren't you too young to be so cynical?"

"I'm still listening." Raven apologized.

"Good … now listen closely, as I've never shared this with anyone before."

Rita paused and pursed her lips. Raven could suddenly feel waves of guilt and regret emit from the older woman."

"After Steve and I became a couple … I cheated on him."

"I thought you said …"

"I said that since I married him that I've been faithful to him, and that's true. But after we moved from dating to being a steady couple … I hung onto one of my lovers … his name was Sergio. He was … oh how can I put this … a special friend with benefits … I guess you could say that I had feelings for him … I wasn't in love with him, but … it was hard to let go of him, he was such a good lover and we really got along well."

"So what happened … he's obviously out of the picture now?" Raven calmly replied.

"Steve caught me cheating … not the way you were caught, but in the end that doesn't really matter. When he found out that I was still sleeping with Sergio he dumped me on the spot and went back to New York. He wouldn't return my calls."

"So what did you do?" Raven asked, suddenly finding herself very interested in the sordid story.

"I hopped on a plane, flew to New York and went to his house. His butler told me to go away, but I refused to leave."

"So I presume he finally agreed to see you. What did you do?"

"I got on my knees and begged him to forgive me."

"Hmm … been there, done that. Given that you're now married it's a pretty safe bet that he did forgive you."

"He did, eventually, after a few months. Waiting for him to forgive me, that was the worst time in my entire life Raven, even worse than the accident that turned me into Elastigirl and ended my Hollywood career."

"I understand … from my own experience."

"So do you understand why you have a problem, dear? It's painfully obvious that you are emotionally attached to Grayson … and you're also physically attracted to him as well … I'm not judging you my dear, I love my Garfield as if he was my own flesh and blood, but even I can tell that Grayson is a far superior physical specimen … how could you not be attracted to a man like him, especially considering how emotionally close you are to him?"

"I … I always thought of him like a brother." She stammered.

"Sweetheart … no one thinks of men like Grayson like a "big brother", he's not the kind of man that women put into the "friend box" … he's lover material and don't you forget it, which is why you have a very, very big problem."

Rita refilled their tea cups, stirred some cream and sugar into her cup and took a sip.

"When the chips were down it was relatively easy for me to stop seeing Sergio. He was a stuntman so we didn't really work together. I just told him that I found someone I wanted to settle down with and couldn't see him anymore. He was surprisingly gracious about that and thanked me for all the rolls in the hay. I guess that in hindsight he never felt anything for me, at least not the way I felt for him."

"But my situation with Nightwing is … different."

"Very, very different child. You both have feelings for each other. I know you love Garfield more, but you love Grayson too … correct me if I'm wrong."

Raven looked away, a tear dripping down her face. "You aren't wrong."

"And unlike I did with Sergio, you can't just say bye-bye, it was nice knowing you. Grayson is a longtime friend and a colleague. Going to Titans East was a good stop gap measure, but that's all it is, a stop gap. You would eventually return to Jump City and would be facing the same problem all over again. He isn't likely to dump the alien, regardless of their frustrated sex life, but Raven dear, you have to understand that it will only be a matter of time before he comes to you, seeking sexual gratification."

Rita sipped some more tea.

"Raven dear, Garfield won't forgive you a second transgression, I guarantee it."

Raven hung her head low. "So basically I'm screwed."

"As long as you're a Titan you are. It doesn't matter if you remain in Steele City, you will still be in contact with Grayson. Raven, you need to get this man out of your life, immediately."

"How?" She replied with a hint of despair in her voice.

Rita sat up in her and placing her elbows on the table she leaned forward.

"Steve and I would like you to join the Doom Patrol."

_**-( scene break) –**_

Rita has invited Raven to "join the family". Should Raven accept … or should she run for her life?


	20. Raven fesses up

"You want me to quit the Titans." Raven gasped in disbelief.

"I want you to stay away from Grayson."

"What? You think I want to be with him?"

Rita crossed her arms. "Right now? No, of course not. But what happens later, say you have a fight, and he's there to console you … it wouldn't be the first time you sought comfort in another man's intimate embrace."

Raven visibly bristled at the remark. "That was below the belt, you know that I kick myself everyday over that bad decision … I gave him my word … do you think I would have asked him to marry me if I wasn't serious?"

"I know you were serious, but Raven sweetheart, you have to face the facts … you have a very serious character flaw. Sure, you're fighting it … but face it dear, it's in your nature to be unfaithful. Don't feel bad about it, we don't get to choose our genome, and in your case it's half demon."

Raven balled her fists in anger. "You have a lot of nerve calling me a whore."

"I did no such thing, but being a reformed slut myself I can see the signs, plus it's a well know fact that demons are not faithful by nature."

"I'm also half human."

"We humans aren't exactly faithful either … Raven … I'm not trying to pick a fight with you, I actually want to help you. You need to break away from the Titans."

"And join your team so you can keep an eye on me?"

Rita narrowed her eyes. "I love my son very much."

Raven leaped to her feet. "What? You think I don't love him?"

"I know you do, dear. We wouldn't be having this chat if I wasn't convinced that you did."

"But you don't trust me."

"Do you trust yourself?"

Raven pursed her lips, but didn't answer.

"I didn't think so."

Raven frowned. "Rita … I know you don't like me, so … why are you trying to help me?"

Rita refilled her teacup and stirred it absentmindedly. "My son has decided, for better or for worse, to hitch his wagon to you, and I want this union to be successful for his own happiness. I'll admit that I was tempted to help accelerate your inevitable crashing and burning with Grayson and hoped that it would have happened early enough for Garfield to get over you and move on … but he is a very sensitive young man. Men like Grayson would shrug something like that off and quickly move on but Garfield would have brooded for years … I saw it when I compared your relationship with his with Jillian. Even though she was an old flame he never truly got close to her. Sure, they slept together a few times, but the fact that he let her go so quickly and moved on proved that there was nothing happening between them … you … on the other hand … he couldn't let go of you, not even after catching you in bed with another man."

Rita sighed. "My boy's in love with you … you have no idea of how lucky you are. You don't deserve him."

"Actually … I am aware of how lucky I am. And yes, every day I remind myself that I don't deserve him."

"Then you should accept my invitation."

"Let's say that I do. What about Gar?"

"Steve is giving him the pitch as we speak. He will object because of you, of course."

"So what do I tell him? What's my reason for wanting to join the Doom Patrol?"

Rita took another sip of her tea.

"You want to get to know us better … I think you will find Grayson to be very supportive of your decision."

"Speaking of which, they will be arriving in an hour." Raven remarked.

"Yes, they will … I've set you and Garfield up in the guest bungalow, so you can have some privacy. I took the liberty of having a few Doom Patrol uniforms made for you my dear. It will have a stronger effect if you and Garfield are wearing them when you announce your decision to join the team."

"This isn't going to be easy." Raven muttered unhappily. "The Titans are my family"

"Since when is doing the right thing ever easy? Do you think it was easy to give up my former life for Steve? Raven … I like sleeping with men … I like having many sexual partners … deep down inside I'm still a slut. But I did what I had to do to keep Steve and I'm glad that I did. And as far as family goes, we're also your family."

Raven pondered her words with an intense look on her face.

"I … I accept your offer." She stammered.

_**-( scene break )-**_

Raven stood in front of the mirror, critically examining her reflection. The "guest bungalow" was a mansion of its own accord. Raven found her new uniform in the master suite laid out on the king sized bed, waiting for her.

The black and purple costume looked just like the ones Beast Boy had worn for years. She often wondered why it took him so long to ditch the old Doom Patrol uniform for the red and white costume that became synonymous with the hero known as "Changeling". And now here they were, getting ready to come full circle and return to his roots.

Raven picked up the purple cape and hood, with its dual clasps, one with the Doom Patrol's logo and the other with the raven's head she used before on her old single clasp cape. She twirled it into place and snapped the clasps shut. It was a nice gesture from Rita, to integrate her cape into the Doom Patrol costume.

A torrent of thoughts ran through her mind as she admired the final product in the mirror. She was feeling apprehensive about the decision and was already worried that she had made a mistake in accepting Rita's offer. She didn't doubt the woman's sincerity in making her son happy, but she could help but feel that she would never really fit in. Plus the idea of being in such close quarters with her in-laws made her feel uneasy.

In -laws, she pondered. They weren't married yet and she already considered them as such.

She looked at the clock on the wall and realized that they Titans would be arriving within 30 minutes. She wondered how Dick and the others would react to seeing her dressed in the black and purple uniform. This was going to be awkward. Starfire would no doubt weep and Cyborg would also be upset. And then there was Dick. Sure, he had originally suggested she join the Doom Patrol, but would he really be happy about that.

Her thought strayed to him. Rita was right about Grayson, he was a superb specimen. A natural leader, brilliant, a talented warrior and … he was definitely eye candy. His only shortcoming was that he was emotionally constipated, much like she was as well. Had there been no Beast Boy, had the green monkey never bitten him, she wondered, would she and Grayson ever have hooked up?

She heaved a huge sigh. Some things were better left unknown. She continued to look at her reflection when she heard a door open downstairs.

"Raven?" He called out.

"Up here." She replied.

He ran up the stairs, shouting as he climbed. "My dad just asked me something …"

He stopped dead in his tracks as he stared, his eyes boggling, at her.

"Rita already asked me."

"Whoa … uh … you look good in black and purple … so … I take this means that you accepted already?"

"I did."

"Really? … I'm … uh … kind of surprised."

"Because I don't like your parents?"

"Uh … yeah."

Raven shrank away from him. "Maybe I should get to know them better… they are going to be my in-laws."

"Do we really have to join the Doom Patrol to do that?"

"I thought you'd like that." She replied.

"Well, to be honest … I'm not so keen on the Towers anymore, like you said … too many bad memories associated with them …"

He cocked his head and gave her a critical look.

"Rae … is there something else you want to tell me?"

She looked away. "There is … but I'm not ready to tell you what it is."

He frowned. "Raven … you told me that there were no more secrets."

"I haven't cheated on you." She snapped.

"That's not what I meant … but if there is something back home that's bothering you, I want to know."

"I promise I'll tell you, just not today."

"Then when?"

She hesitated as she scrambled for an answer that she hoped would satisfy him.

"Before our wedding." She blurted.

"Well that's vague, especially since we haven't set a date yet."

"I'm sorry … it's something … personal and difficult to discuss."

"You mean you can't even discuss it with me? Don't you trust me, Raven?"

Her heart winced. He had taken her back and trusted her fully. Still, she wondered, could she trust him with such a disturbing bit of news?

"Well?"

"There's someone back at the Tower that I've become uncomfortable being with."

"Oh come on, Rae! Cyborg said he was sorry for egging me on to be a douche bag with you. You can't still be holding a grudge against him."

She shook her head. "It's not Cyborg."

"Then who could it possibly be?" He asked.

Raven bowed her head. "It's Dick … I'm very uncomfortable around him."

"Dick? You're kidding? I thought you guys were like best buds."

"We are." She replied in a very soft voice. "We're very comfortable and close with each other."

"Well of course you are. You've been close friends like forever. He rescued you from Trigon's pit. I know you admire him Raven, maybe even put him on a pedestal. But as long as it's my bed you get into every night I'm OK with that."

Raven struggled to maintain her composure. "And I want it to stay that way." She whimpered as she threw her arms around him.

"Raven … are you telling me that you and Dick have … feelings for each other?"

"I'm so sorry!" She buried her face into his shoulder. He rubbed her back.

"C'mon, he's like a brother to you. So maybe you had a crush on him … oh … I know where this is coming from."

She looked up into his face, looking utterly perplexed.

"It's the run in with Aqualad we had this morning. It threw you off kilter … Raven … I know Dick's an attractive guy … I know he's way better looking than I am …"

"No he's not." She interrupted.

"Yes … he is, and you're thinking that the feelings you have for him will lead to another Aqualad fiasco."

"And you don't think so?"

"I trust you, Raven."

"But I don't trust myself."

"That bad of a crush, huh? You know what? I might be getting jealous." He smirked.

"IT'S NOT FUNNY GAR! … I'm scared; I'm really scared of messing up again."

He grabbed her by shoulders. "Raven … I trust you, OK? Relax; everything is going to be fine. You aren't going to have a fling with Dick."

She slumped into his embrace and hugged him.

"At least now I know why you said yes to Rita. Was she giving you crap about Dick?"

"Yes, she was." She replied between sniffles.

"She probably thinks Dick's gonna be your Sergio."

Her eyes widened. "You know about Sergio? She said that was a secret."

"Dad just told me about him, so I'm guessing that she just told you too … I'm surprised that she did … I guess that means you are part of the family now."

"I must be … I'm wearing the uniform."

He smiled. "It looks good on you. I like that cape and hood, both insignia's too. But something's missing."

He released her and turned to the bed, where her old Titan's costume was resting. He picked up her jeweled belt from the bed and wrapped it around her hips and waist, snapping it shut. He stepped back to get a better look.

"Now that looks better." He grinned as he took her hand.

Raven pointed out the window at the sight of the T-Ship. It was circling the estate, preparing to land.

"I think it's show time, Gar."

_**-( scene break )-**_

The signature jet circled the estate several times until Robotman cleared them to land. Cyborg was at the helm of the west coast T-Ship and approached the landing pad. As he touched down he saw that Mento, Elastigirl, Negativeman and Robotman where standing by, ready to greet them. Two more figures approached, both flying as they appeared to be running late. One was a green falcon, the grass stain of course but the other was unknown. He looked harder at the newcomer, who was wearing what looked like a Doom Patrol uniform with a hood and cape. He zoomed in with his bionic eye and his jaw dropped.

"Nightwing, Star … are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

_**-( scene break )-**_

Cyborg and Starfire stared stunned at the Chromatically Challenged Couple™. Nightwing looked at Raven and gave her a subtle but approving nod.

"You guys are quitting the Titans? And joining the Doom Patrol!?" Cyborg shrieked in utter disbelief.

Starfire approached Raven and hugged her. "It is gratifying to see you again, former teammate Raven."

The sorceress felt a tidal wave of sorrow emit from her friend.

"Starfire, I didn't do this to reject you. You must know that. Why are you so sad? Are you thinking that this will be the beginning of the rekmas, as you call it?"

The princess leaned back and holding Raven's shoulders in her hands and locked eyes with her. "The rekmas has begun, though it is not your doing."

"It's begun? How … and why?"

"I do not have the heart or energy to explain at this time. Perhaps you can ask Nightwing, as he seems to be less affected by it than I am. After this mission, I will be returning to Tamaran for what you humans call a sabbatical."

Starfire released Raven and stepped over to the changeling, exchanging hugs with him. Nightwing stepped up to Raven. They did not embrace.

"What's going on Dick, what the Trigon is Starfire talking about?"

Nightwing took Raven's hand and squeezed it.

"We just broke up, Raven. It's over."

_**-( scene break )-**_

A shorter chapter, but I didn't make you wait this time. The next one will be longer, but you'll have to wait a few days for it.


	21. A Late Night Rendezvous

"We just broke up, Raven. It's over."

Raven glanced over at Garfield, who was talking with a visibly disturbed Starfire. She nodded to Nightwing, silently indicating that she follow him. The discretely walked away until they were out of earshot, but not out of sight.

"So what happened?" She asked. "Please don't tell me you broke up over the sex."

"We did." He replied in a defeated voice. "The prosthetic wasn't enough."

Raven frowned. "You're going to allow less than stellar sex to come between you? I thought the prosthetic worked."

"It works fine … that's not the problem."

"Then what is the problem?" She asked.

He took a deep breath. "She's an alien."

"I'm aware of that."

"No … you're not. Raven … humans evolved from apes and we inherited our sexuality from them. Have you ever read about or seen documentaries on bonobo chimps?"

She nodded. "Yes … they have powerful libidos."

"Yeah, they're possibly the only primates that like sex even more than humans. They do it all the time, with no inhibitions."

"I've seen the nature shows … what does this have to do with Starfire?"

"Tamaranians did not evolve from apes, they evolved from felines and their sexuality is inherited from them."

Raven's eyes widened. "Dear Azar, do you mean to say that …"

"That she's only interested in sex when she's in heat, and that only happens when there are Tamaranian males around. I only learned this recently. She is aware of human sexuality and tried to adapt for me … but it didn't work. She never went into heat. There was no problem copulating with her using the prosthetic … but nothing ever happened."

He sighed as he rubbed his temples. "We both came to the conclusion that it was hopeless … it wasn't lackluster sex, I could have lived with that. It was no sex at all. We're completely incompatible, Raven."

She looked up into his masked face. "I'm so sorry, Dick. I wish there was some way I could help."

He waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. "There's nothing you could have done … it's my fault. Falling in love with an alien, what was I thinking?"

"Starfire is a nice, sweet girl … don't blame yourself for falling in love with her."

"She isn't a girl, Raven, she just looks like one. Did you know the she has six nipples? Four are vestigial and she hides them under her clothes."

Raven frowned. "In that case, I'm not a girl either. Is that what you're saying?"

"You're half human."

"So what does that make me, half a girl?"

"You have all the parts in the right places, don't you?"

She crossed her arms and scowled at him. "OK, fine. So physiologically I'm a girl."

"You are a girl and Starfire is not."

She heaved an exasperated sigh. "OK, you made your point. She isn't a girl and you've given up on each other … you know she'll never return from this sabbatical of hers."

"I'm expecting that she'll never return. I told her how I feel about you, that was the last nail in coffin. She'll find someone on Tamaran who will fulfill her in the ways she needs." He remarked dryly.

"And who's going to fulfill you in the ways you need?"

"I suppose you aren't interested in the job?" He asked sardonically.

"You're right, I'm not. It's not that I'm unwilling, Dick … but … I love Gar too much to cheat on him."

"I understand … after this mission is over I'm going to leave for Bludhaven and do the solo hero thing … what I intended to do in the first place when I moved to Jump. Cyborg doesn't know it yet, but he'll recruit the next generation of Titans and when he's done training them he'll give them the keys to the Tower and retire himself …"

He hesitated before continuing. "We'll probably never see each other again. And that's probably for the best."

"Never is a very long time." She remarked.

"We shouldn't see each other again, ever."

"So, you're just going to drop out of my life, just like that?"

"It's the right thing to do." He replied morosely.

"That doesn't make it any easier."

He removed his mask and locked eyes with her.

"Raven, when I leave, I'll be left wondering what it would have been like to … be intimate with you."

Raven felt a chill go down her spine. "Dick, please don't tease me and especially not with a one night stand. I've had two, and they both left me emotionally scarred."

"It wouldn't be a one night stand, and it wouldn't be friends with benefits … we love each other ... it would be true love."

"Do you really think we could do it just once?"

He nodded. "I'll be leaving. Unless you come looking for me I'll be gone for good. There won't be any encores."

"I … I don't know … I need to think about it." She stammered. "If Gar finds out, he'll kick me to the curb, for good, it'll be over between us."

"He won't find out. I promise. And you know I can keep a secret, he'll never know. After sharing a night we won't have to wonder anymore about "what if?" and we can go back to being good friends who share a special platonic friendship."

"Are you sure, Dick? What if it goes the other way?"

He smiled. "Then I'll marry you."

Before she could answer she heard Garfield shouting out to them, saying that it was time for the mission briefing.

_**-( scene break )-**_

The briefing had turned into a blur for Raven. She recalled seeing some out of focus pictures of the mutant animals and a map of Uganda, but that was all she recalled. She couldn't even remember how she came into the bathroom or when she started to brush her teeth. There had been a dinner somewhere along the way, but all she recalled was chicken Cordon Bleu, or was it Chicken Marsala? She continued brushing her teeth as Gar entered the spacious bathroom, parking himself in front of another sink as he squeezed a tube of toothpaste himself.

"Rae, you aren't worried about the mission tomorrow, are you?"

She stopped brushing and looked up at him, foamy toothpaste dribbling out of her mouth. "Huh?"

He snickered. "Your nightgown, you put it on backwards."

She looked down at her chest and saw that he was right. After quickly spitting out the toothpaste and rinsing she pulled the nightgown off, quickly flipping it around. Before she could slip it back on she felt his warm hands on her torso, caressing her as they made their way up to her chest.

"Don't bother putting it back on." He purred in a seductive voice.

Raven instinctively covered her breasts with the clumped up nightgown, holding it tightly in place with her hands.

"Not tonight, Gar … I've … got things on my mind."

The changeling raised his eyebrows.

"You OK, babe? I mean, I can't remember a time when the sight of my green soldier wouldn't put you into a good mood."

"It's not you … can we just go to bed?" She asked in a quiet voice as she slipped her nightgown back on.

"Sure, anything you'd like. Is there something you want to talk about?"

She didn't reply until they were both under the covers. "Please hold me." She whispered.

He complied and gently wrapped his arms around her as he kissed the crown of her head.

"What's the matter, Rae? Are you having second thoughts about quitting the team?"

"No … the team … is finished."

"It's finished? That's the first I heard of that."

She snuggled closer to him. "Dick broke up with Starfire."

"What? How come no one told me!?" He shrieked.

"Starfire doesn't want to talk about it, Cyborg doesn't know yet and Dick just told me. Starfire is going back to Tamaran after this mission is over."

He sat up in the bed with a bewildered look on his face. "Why the hell did they break up? Don't tell me it was bedroom trouble."

"Not trouble, Gar … more like total dysfunction. Human and Tamaranian sexual physiologies are utterly incompatible; at least that's what Dick told me."

"So he dumped her because he was getting no satisfaction?"

Raven sadly bowed her head. "I believe that it was a mutual decision. Dick's going to head off to Bludhaven to give his solo career a second try."

"Bludhaven? He must be a glutton for punishment. That town blows. It's a cesspool of crime."

"I think he wants to get as far away as possible so he can forget her."

"If he thinks that'll work, he's crazy. He won't be able to stop thinking about her; she's his only true love. Mark my words, they'll reconcile."

"No, Gar, you don't get it. They can't have sex … period. It's not only physically impossible, but she needs to be in heat to be sexually receptive, and without Tamaranian males around her she will never go into heat. Poor Dick, it really is hopeless."

"So what's he going to do?"

"I don't know … he … expressed interest in hooking up with someone he's had his eye on for some time, someone … physically and emotionally compatible with him."

The changeling leaned back into his pillow and wrapped and arm around his sweetheart, pulling her close to him.

"Well, whatever he does, I hope it works out for him." He remarked.

"Yeah … right." She muttered to herself.

_**-( scene break )-**_

It was late, well past midnight as Grayson paced impatiently around his room, as if anticipating something. He had already busied himself inspecting the contents of his utility belt, over and over, as if he had over looked something.

He paused as he thought he heard footsteps in the hallway, but upon further inspection he realized that no one was there. The only light in his room was from the small lamp on his night stand and it cast long shadows on his walls. He had spent the last 90 minutes or so peeking out his window, spying on the bungalow where he knew Raven was staying with Beast Boy. His last words to her that evening were "my room at 1 AM". The last light in the bungalow had been turned off almost 30 minutes ago. He knew the changeling was not only a heavy sleeper but was quick to fall asleep as well, unless of course they were making love themselves. If that was the case then he knew she wouldn't show.

With an uncharacteristic lack of self discipline he repeatedly glanced out his window at the cottage, hoping to see her spectral bird emerge from the guest house and glide towards his room, but so far his patience had not been rewarded.

As the clock approached 1 AM his impatience took over and he simply remained at the window, staring at the cottage, as if summoning her to come to him. It would be only once, he reasoned and it wasn't dishonorable either, since they were in love. At least that's what he had been telling himself, he wasn't sure he believed that lie, but he kept repeating it to himself nonetheless. He looked at the alarm clock on his nightstand. It was now seven minutes past one.

"Where are you?" He muttered sotto voce.

His impatience was dispatched when he heard a knock on his door. He smiled as he silently skipped to it and opened it.

"Greetings, former boyfriend Richard … may I come in?"

Dick's smile suddenly vanished.

"Uh … yeah … sure, come in."

The princess silently entered his room, closing the door behind her.

"You are up late." She remarked.

"Uh, yeah, I uh … can't sleep."

She approached the window and noticed that the curtains had been pushed aside enough to leave a crack. She peered through it and saw the dark cottage.

"I am surprised that our friends have left the team and joined the Doom Patrol. Changeling has told me that it was Raven's idea, which surprises me as she does not like Mento or Elastigirl."

She turned to look at him.

"Richard, might Raven's decision have anything to do with you?"

He shrugged his shoulders.

"Richard, I might be an alien who is naïve to the ways of Earthlings, but I am not a fool. You are waiting for Raven to come to your room, to do the "rendezvous". You must not do this."

He turned to her and saw a scowl on her face.

"You think that this will be only once, and that our friend Garfield will not know. That you will go to Bludhaven and forget about her, but you will not. You will ask her for more nights of the lovemaking and she will comply out of weakness. Richard, he might not know, you might be able to keep it a secret from him forever … but Raven will know. It will affect her and it will affect our friend Garfield."

"Star …"

"I forbid you to pursue this shameful and illicit relationship. If I find out that you have seduced Raven …"

She paused as a very grim and alien looking expression appeared on her face.

"… then I will kill you."

_**-( scene break )-**_

Another short one, but it was a quick update.


	22. Passion and Regret

Raven lay in the bed, wide awake with the sleeping changeling's arm draped around her midsection. The lights had been off for some time but her mind was still racing and there was no way she would be able to fall asleep anytime soon.

Her restlessness overwhelming her, she gently removed his arm and delicately sat up on the edge of the bed, careful to not disturb his slumber. She glanced at the alarm clock and saw that it was 12:47.

_Come to my room at 1 AM. And don't worry; I already made sure it isn't bugged._

She sat in an almost trance like state, the expression on her face was blank, though inside her mind a typhoon of emotions raged. The very thought of going up to his room terrified her. What if it was another scarring experience? What if it left her feeling empty and numb again? She heaved a soft sigh. That is wasn't what she was truly afraid of. And while she was scared of being caught that wasn't what terrified her.

What she feared the most was that she would enjoy the experience.

She saw Grayson in her mind's eye, his perfectly sculpted naked body, moist with perspiration, heavy with his scent. She could see his manhood, throbbing, inviting her to become his, even if it was only for a single night. And he was right, she wondered what it would be like, if she could have sex with a man other than Garfield and enjoy it. If there was anyone that could do that for her, it had to be Dick.

Raven became lost in her sexual fantasies and when she snapped back to reality she saw that it was already 1:07 AM. She was late. If she didn't make her move there might never be another opportunity. Dick would move onto Bludhaven and she would remain at Dayton Manor. He was probably right; they might never see each other again.

She walked up to the sliding glass door and opened it, stepping out onto the balcony, bathing in the moon's pale light. The light in Dick's room was still on. She turned back towards the room. Garfield was sleeping peacefully, utterly unaware of what was about to happen.

_I'm sorry Gar, this will be the only time … I swear_. She apologized in her mind to an imaginary changeling.

Dressed only in a revealing nightgown she raised her arms and summoned her spectral bird, which obediently enveloped her before taking flight. She soared in the air until she reached Grayson's room, landing on the balcony outside. She partially phased through the wall, being careful to inspect the scene before entering. With her luck Rita would be there, she couldn't be too careful.

As she began to phase through the wall her vision was blocked by the wall itself. She moved slowly, so as not to be noticed when part of her face would break through the barrier. What she saw was not what she expected, as she witnessed a conversation between Starfire and Grayson:

"_I forbid you to pursue this shameful and illicit relationship. If I find out that you have seduced Raven … then I will kill you."_

Raven recoiled upon hearing her words and retreated back to the relative safety and anonymity of the balcony. She summoned all of her willpower to contain the panic that was beginning to consume her. Starfire knew what they were planning … but how? Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of raised voices … they were yelling at each other. Raven's panic increased … others might be drawn to the voices and come. She leaped off the balcony and in her human form she flew back to the guest house, hiding in the bedroom.

Garfield stirred in his sleep and saw that Raven was up. He slowly sat up in his bed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Why are you up? You OK?" He asked. "You look like you saw a ghost."

"I went to see Starfire." She stammered.

"You did? … Oh yeah, the girl talk … what did she say?"

"Nothing … I didn't find her." She continued to lie.

"OK … that's too bad … we'd better get back to sleep, we're leaving for Uganda at noon, remember."

"I know … I just thought it would be better to speak with her in private, before we leave for Africa."

He patted the bed next to him. "C'mon, it's late."

She nodded and joined him in bed. Within minutes he was snoring softly. After waiting about 15 minutes more Raven carefully sat up again, and placing a hand on his head her blue light appeared. She whispered a sleeping spell, he wouldn't wake until dawn.

She levitated out of the bed and glided out to her balcony again. She looked up to the manor and saw that his light was now off. Looking back at her fiancé one last time she took to the air and flew over to Grayson's room a second time. This time she phased completely through the wall, until she was in his room. The only sound she heard was his rhythmic breathing.

She approached the bed and placing one of her small hands on his shoulder, she gently roused him.

"Dick, wake up." She whispered.

Grayson slowly opened his eyes. "You did come." He muttered as he grabbed his alarm clock, which now read 1:37. "So, I take your presence as a yes."

"You won't hurt me?"

"Of course not. I'll be vigorous, that I do promise, but nothing even remotely violent."

"That's not what I meant … this will be an act of love … Dick, when we're done, I don't want to feel used."

"We're meeting as equals … I promise not to use you, but how you feel when we're done … that's up to you … but you know you can trust me, Gar will never know."

"What about Starfire?" She stammered.

"What about her?"

"I was here earlier and I saw her. I heard what she said … Dick, she knows."

He shook his head. "No … she doesn't. She suspects, but that's all. You have nothing to worry about. I set her straight."

The room fell silent as they stared into each other's eyes.

"Dick … do you love me?"

"You know that I do."

She swallowed hard, looking apprehensive.

"If … if this goes horribly wrong and I lose Gar … will you be there for me?"

"In heart, body and soul." He replied. "How about you? Are you ready for this?" He asked as he pulled back the sheet on his bed.

Raven hesitated, and her eyes trembled.

"I am … but not here." Her voice warbled as she grabbed the sheet and pulled it clear off the bed. "I've always wanted to make love in nature, under the moonlight."

He nodded his agreement and took her hand.

Raven's spectral bird returned and engulfed them both before flying through the wall and out of the manor. She soared high above the estate and they were soon beyond its borders and even left the Hamptons behind, flying out over the Atlantic ocean until they reached a tiny, uninhabited island some miles off the coast. She landed on the desolate beach and spread the sheet on the sand.

He was wearing only his pajama bottoms and the moonlight highlighted his well formed abs, which Raven traced with her index finger before levitating up and kissing him.

The waves pounded the shore while they continued to make out, groping and kissing each other. Suddenly she pushed him away and levitated in front of him, gently bobbing like a ball floating on the surf.

"Did I do something wrong?" He asked.

She pulled her nightgown off and tossed it aside. Her supple breasts glowed in the moonlight.

"I've never been all that big on foreplay." She responded. "I'd rather fuck."

Grayson dropped his pants and approached her. All she was left wearing was pair of lacy panties, which he deftly removed from her and tossed aside. She glided down to the sheet, falling as gently as a snowflake and landing on her back. Grayson kneeled in front of her and she raised her legs, placing her feet on his shoulders.

"The anvil position? I see you know your Kama Sutra." He smiled.

"I've tried every position, the anvil is my favorite." She replied.

Two bodies became as one while the surf continued to roar throughout the night.

_**-( scene break )-**_

Raven slowly woke up the next morning in her bed. She was clean, as she showered in Grayson's room before returning to her own bed at around 4 AM. She sat up and noticed that Garfield wasn't at her side. The alarm clock read 8:39 AM. As she yawned she noticed a little note left on her nightstand. She picked it up and read it.

"Was hungry, so I went to the house for an early breakfast. You looked so relaxed and peaceful that I didn't want to wake you. I slept like a baby. I love you. Gar."

Raven suddenly felt a pang of guilt so intense that it felt like a cramp.

_It was one time, just one time._ She told herself.

Grayson turned out to be a superb lover. Perhaps not better than Garfield, but different, in many ways. His stamina was inexhaustible, and he knew how to please a woman, how to touch, where to kiss, where to caress. She thought of Rita's gigolos and finally understood what she meant when the elastic woman described them to her. The physical experience has simply been exquisite; when he was done with her she lay on her back on beach, panting as if she had run a marathon.

But she also felt that she had lost something in the process. It was hard to describe, except perhaps to say that a little bit of her had died on the beach last night. She thought of Garfield and wondered if it would ever be the same with him again.

Raven suddenly found herself fighting back tears, and she knew why. Every time she and Garfield made love, he would always tell her that he loved her when they were done. Grayson did no such thing. Sure, he kissed and even held her, but he never said once that he loved her. And while Grayson had the equivalent of a Ph.D. in sex, she never felt like calling out his name during the moments of physical ecstasy. She screamed, demanding more or just hollering her pleasure, but not once did his name escape her lips.

She suddenly felt dirty, soiled and even though she had showered just a few hours before, she got up and showered again, rubbing her soapy loofah against her skin until it felt raw. She dried off and examined her naked body in a full length mirror, searching for any bit of incriminating evidence of her illicit rendezvous. After staring for minutes she sighed and donned her Doom Patrol costume. With a heavy heart she took off from the balcony and flew to the Manor's main patio, where the others were having breakfast. As she approached she saw Garfield, who was sitting with Starfire at a table. They both looked up and saw her. Garfield had an angry look on his face. Raven suddenly felt her heart in her throat. She descended and landed next to them.

"Gar, is something wrong?" She asked in her old school monotone.

He grabbed her arm so hard that it hurt.

"We need to talk." He snarled at her.

"Gar … you hurting me."

"Shut up." He growled in a feral voice. "When you went out last night, you forgot to mention that you stopped by Dick's room."

"I was looking for Starfire … I thought I'd check to see if she was with Dick … how did she know?"

"So why did you run away? … Starfire heard your dark energy hum, by the way. Her feline senses are almost as keen as mine."

"I … uh … they were fighting." She stammered.

"They were talking about you … Raven … you put a sleeping spell on me when you came back, I can tell, I only sleep that well when you do that."

Raven noticed that she was about to hyperventilate. She summoned all her willpower and calmed herself.

"I just wanted to talk with Dick."

"About what? And at 1 AM? Raven, is there something I should know?"

"Something … something personal." She gulped.

He glared at her. "So we're back to secrets."

"No, Gar, it's not like that at all."

Raven winced as she saw him fight back the tears.

"I don't feel like I can trust you anymore … I'm sorry, but the engagement … it's off … I'm not even sure we're a couple anymore … you spent the night with him … didn't you?"

Without waiting for an answer he turned around and walked away, with Starfire at his side. The princess stopped and gave Raven the most horrific glare she had ever seen, before catching up the changeling and wrapping an arm around his shoulder.

Raven began to cry before vanishing into the ground and disappearing.

Seated at one of the tables, Rita sadly shook her head. She turned to her husband.

"I think you'd better go catch up with him."

_**-( scene break )-**_

You probably all hate me now. Hang in there, some good will come from all this, though it might not be what you're expecting.


	23. Father and Son

Mento ran down the balcony's steps, rushing to catch up with his son. His haste was unnecessary as the changeling and Starfire had stopped to sit on a bench in a grotto, where he hoped to have a modicum of privacy for himself. As Steve approached he saw that Garfield was now openly weeping as Starfire wrapped her arms around him and rubbed his back in a futile attempt to soothe him.

Mento stopped before reaching the grotto and opened his mind. Garfield had always been an easy mind read, unlike Raven who was a master at raising mental barriers to keep telepaths like Mento out of her brain. In Garfield's case at ehe moment there wasn't much to read as he was overwhelmed with grief, which clouded his mind like a heavy maritime fog. Steve also sensed Starfire's thoughts, which at the moment were saturated with violent ideas involving Grayson and the sorceress.

He sighed, realizing that right now Garfield needed his father, Steve Dayton, and not Mento of the Doom Patrol. It wasn't something that came naturally to him; Rita was the nurturing one after all. Steve sucked it up and entered the grotto, walking past the water fountain with its soothing pitter pattering sounds of flowing water. Starfire saw him approach, but did not move and remained at Garfield's side. Mento stopped at her side and after placing a hand on her shoulder he leaned over and whispered into her ear.

"Thank you … thanks for being his friend."

She acknowledged his remark with a gentle nod before refocusing her attention on the changeling. Steve sat down next to his son and waited patiently for the right moment. Finally, after weeping for several minutes, Garfield released Starfire and turned to face his father.

"I'm sorry … I know men aren't supposed to cry."

Steve felt a twinge of guilt and regret in his heart, recalling all the occasions when he had told that canard to a young and impressionable Beast Boy.

"I was wrong, there are times when a man can cry … and this is one of them."

Garfield wrapped his arms around his father, who reciprocated while a still sad looking Starfire watched with a small smile forming on her face.

"You were right … you and mom were right all along … how could I have been so stupid? Go ahead and say it … that you told me so."

Steve patted his green son on the back. "I promised not to do that, remember?"

"I'm a stupid loser!"

"No, you're not. You'll recover from this, Garfield. You're strong, and you're not a loser, don't ever forget that."

"Then what am I?"

"You're a guy who's in love, so much so that you trusted a girl that common sense said you shouldn't have. But don't feel bad … I also recklessly went out on a limb with your mother."

"But she never betrayed you … I mean, not since Sergio."

"Don't remind me of him … it's almost 20 years later and I'm still smarting from that."

The changeling released him and slumped his shoulders.

"How did you know you could trust her?"

"I didn't know … all I knew was that I couldn't live without her. But had she betrayed me a second time … it would have been over … that's how you're feeling right now, aren't you? You feel that you can't live without her, but your trust has been violated and you're wounded."

The changeling sighed.

"Should I forgive her again? I mean … we don't really know what happened … there's no way Dick would have done that to me. He's my friend … he wouldn't sleep with my girl."

Mento grimaced and bowed his head.

"Dad, what is it?"

The mentalist heaved a deep sigh. "When you confronted Raven she wasn't expecting it … she unintentionally dropped her mental barriers. Garfield … this is going to hurt … they did have sex. She flew them off to a deserted beach and … I'm sorry son, I wish it wasn't so."

Starfire rose to her feet. Her face looked as hard as a diamond and with a huge frown on her mug she flew away without excusing herself.

"Star?" The changeling shouted at her. She ignored him as she flew away. "Where is she going?"

Mento pursed his lips. "I can't read her mind. Aliens can be challenging, their brains are structured differently than ours."

He placed a hand on Gar's shoulder. "Grayson and Raven won't be joining us on the mission. I think you should still come with us though. There's nothing like a mission to take your mind off of this."

Garfield nodded his agreement. "Yeah, I could use a good old Doom Patrol mission."

"Just like old times." Mento beamed.

"Only better." Garfield smiled back at him. "Thanks dad … you're the best."

_**-( scene break )-**_

Raven's dark hemisphere rose from the floor in the guest house's master suite and melted away, leaving a forlorn looking Raven in its wake. The gray sorceress began to pace nervously around the room as she began to hyperventilate. His words rang in her ears.

_You spent the night with him … didn't you?_

He couldn't possibly know … there were no witnesses … she had been so careful about that. He was only guessing, he had to be.

"He's angry … of course he suspects … I just need to convince him that I went to see Dick to … to … to tell him that there couldn't be anything between us … that I didn't want him to know because I knew he would get jealous and not trust me." She murmured softly to herself. "Oh sweet Azar, I've really done it this time … what was I thinking?"

Raven sat down on the edge of the still unmade bed. She saw the note she read earlier on the nightstand and picked it up.

_I was hungry, so I went to the house for an early breakfast. You looked so relaxed and peaceful that I didn't want to wake you. I slept like a baby. I love you. Gar._

Raven began to sob so violently that she didn't notice when the room's door was quietly opened.

"Oh Raven, now you've done it."

The demoness almost jumped out of her skin.

Rita calmly entered the room, closing the door behind her.

"So you couldn't help yourself, could you, you stupid demon spawn bitch?"

Raven recalled her rehearsed lie. It was performance time.

"What are you talking about?"

"You know what I'm talking about."

"I only talked with him, nothing else happened."

"We both know that's a lie."

"You can believe what you want, Rita." Raven replied. "I didn't cheat on him."

"Let's drop the charade, child. You took Grayson to a beach and fucked his brains out. We know. And so does Garfield."

Raven froze as icy fingers of fear and terror gripped her spine.

"I recall that I promised to break your neck … but we both know that you're more powerful than me and you could easily kick my ass in fight. So I decided to do something better. Garfield is on his way here, my little heartbreaker … and I suspect that he's expecting an explanation. You don't mind if I stay, do you? I wouldn't want to miss this for the world."

With a cruel smirk on her face Rita sat down on a wingback chair. As if on cue, Changeling arrived moments later, flying in through the window in the form of a hawk. Raven felt as if she had a bowling ball in her stomach as he morphed back into his human form.

"Well!?" He growled at her.

Raven feel to her knees. "I'm so sorry …"

"I'm not interested in your apologies, Raven, because they're meaningless and I'm not forgiving you this time anyway, so get on your damn feet and explain to me why you did this to me."

He choked back a sob but quickly composed himself. He would be damned if he would let her see him cry over her.

"Why? You asked me to marry you and then you sneaked away with Dick like a cheap whore and had sex with him? Why? WHY!? Was I not good enough? Did I not please you!?"

Tears began to drip down her face.

"Oh no you don't! You're not the victim here … I AM!" He bellowed.

Raven face palmed as she began to cry.

"WHY, DAMMIT, WHY!?" He screamed at her.

"Gar … you know … that … I do love you?" She spoke between sobs.

"Yes! I do, and that's why I don't understand! If you love me, if you really want to marry me … then how could you go and fuck him?"

Her voice sounded weak and brittle. "Because … I … also love him."

Gar became slack jawed, and then shook the disbelief out of his head.

"You love him? What the hell? What are you, some kind of new age polygamist?"

"I so sorry, Gar, I didn't want to hurt you."

"Well, you did. And so did Dick … I'm so gonna kick his ass … where is he?"

Raven's eyes suddenly opened wide with concern.

"Where's Starfire?"

"Beats me. She was with us until Mento said that he read your mind and told me that you did fuck Grayson, then she just took off."

Raven began to tremble. "Oh, sweet Azar."

"Now what?" The changing asked in an irritated and annoyed tone.

"She's going to kill him."

"Not until I kill him first." He snarled.

"No … you don't understand … she's really going to kill him. She threatened to kill him if he …"

A loud explosion cut her off.

"Nooo." She moaned before taking off in flight.

_**-( scene break )-**_

The world seemed to vanish when Starfire heard Mento say those terrible words:

_This is going to hurt … they did have sex. She flew them off to a deserted beach and … I'm sorry son, I wish it wasn't so._

Starfire was boiling with Tamaranian fury. She had warned him, and he chose to proceed anyway, without any regard for what might happen to the others. Humans and their emotions baffled her, but no one was, in her mind, a greater contradiction than Dick Grayson. He had a great thirst for justice and upholding the law and yet at the same time he could be so self centered. When he was younger he was obsessed with becoming a great martial artist, so much so that he walked out on the team, leaving them high and dry without their leader, only because his ego had been bruised by that blowhard Katarou and decided that he needed to train with a possibly nonexistent teacher called the True Master.

His self centeredness had long been an obstacle in their relationship and when he decided that she couldn't satisfy him the way he wanted, he dumped her.

Starfire also thirsted for justice and she was determined to do just that. It didn't matter that he didn't intend to hurt Garfield, she was sure that in his mind Grayson really believed that what Gar didn't know wouldn't hurt him. Maybe he was sincere in that it would be a onetime event, but that was no excuse … Raven was betrothed and to violate that sacred bond was a capital offense on Tamaran. Before betrothal Tamaranians were casual about sex, but once a couple promised themselves to each other that bind was inviolable. It did not matter to her what humans thought of it. That they were treacherous and liars was of no consequence.

Starfire landed on Grayson's balcony and entered his room, which appeared to be abandoned. The bed was made and his small travel bag was missing. She looked in the bathroom and found that his toiletries were also gone. She noticed that there were two wet towels on the floor and she picked them up. One reeked of Grayson to her feline sense of smell while the other had the aroma of the lavender perfume Raven used since the days when they all met for the first time. She tossed the towels into the shower stall, noticing the sandy residue on the shower floor. It all added up and matched what Mento had said.

Starfire glared as she searched the room for a clue. Where was he?

_**-( scene break )-**_

Nightwing walked around the T-Ship, inspecting it as he munched on a protein bar. He decided to shun the communal breakfast, determined to keep his promise to Raven, to stay away from her now that they had done the deed and experienced each other's most intimate touch.

Remembering the night before put a smile on his face. Raven was a love goddess; she knew how to please a man. Garfield was a lucky bastard, he thought, since he was going to marry a sex kitten like her. Grayson was beginning to regret making the "one night and only one night stand" promise he made with the gray witch, but he consoled himself with the delicious memory that he would not ever forget. There was a faint pang of guilt in the back of his mind, having betrayed his close friend by stealing his girl from him, even though it had been for a single night.

As he inspected one of the engines he chuckled. It really wasn't that big a deal, he thought. These were modern times, casual sex wasn't taboo anymore and it's not like they were married, he knew that you didn't mess with that. Raven was still legally single and that meant that she was fair game, and besides, she was just as eager as he was to share a roll in the hay.

He smiled as he recalled her fretting about getting caught. First of all, it would never happen. He even had a special body wash for Raven to use to neutralize his scent from her body, he knew well about Garfield's keen sense of smell. And she used special contraceptives, courtesy of Dr. Midnight, which was great as he hated wearing condoms. Still, she asked him if he would take her on if Garfield somehow found out. He even told her that he would marry her … as if. The girl needed to learn to relax. No one knew, no one would ever know.

He completed his pre-flight inspection and tossed his travel bag into his cockpit. As he began to unwrap another protein bar he heard an all too familiar sound: star bolts being conjured. He turned in time to see his former sweetheart throw a volley of star bolts at him, which he quickly dodged with an acrobatic leap.

"Star! What the hell are you doing!?" He yelled as he adopted a fighting stance, with bird-a-rangs and several of his disc based weapons in hand ready to use.

"You were warned!" She screamed as she lunged at him. Using a perfect jujitsu throw he deflected her, sending the Tamaranian crashing into several empty crates that were stacked nearby, smashing them to smithereens. She growled angrily as she levitated out of the pile of wood and conjured more star bolts.

"You have ruined Raven and Garfield's future together!" She screamed.

"How?" He asked while his mind began to race. She couldn't possibly know about last night.

"You seduced Raven, took her to a beach and did the lovemaking to her … after you rejected me … I promised to keep trying to find a solution … but you did not have the patience and instead you defiled the betrothal between our dear friends."

Grayson's blood froze. She knew, but how?

"Starfire, I don't know how you discovered this, but we have to keep it a secret."

"It is no longer a secret … I have told Garfield."

"You did what? Are you crazy? You knew what would happen if he found out!"

"Yes, I did. Raven's shameful behavior makes her unworthy of my friend Garfield. I will punish her later, but you! You are responsible for this. I promised to end you if you did this, and end your life I will."

Grayson realized that there was no reasoning with Starfire and that she was serious about killing him. He had to disable her and fast. She was a powerhouse and a deadly one when she was angry. He still remembered how she thrashed Blackfire back on Tamaran. He wouldn't survive a beating like that.

Nightwing rolled and threw five of his freezing disks at her. She zapped four of them with her eyebeams but the fifth one found its mark and she was instantly encased in a block of ice. Grayson stood up and exhaled in relief. Now he only had to worry about ... all the others. At least they wouldn't try to kill him … OK, maybe Gar would.

As he pondered his next move he failed to notice that Starfire's entire body began to glow a bright green and the ice around her began to crack. Her icy prison exploded as shards of ice and stray star energy flew in all directions.

A large glob of energy shot towards him. He dropped to the ground and it flew past over him. It continued flying until it hit a solid object: a small fuel tanker that was parked behind the T-Ship. It hit the shiny tank portion of the vehicle, ripping through it as if it was paper. Grayson saw what was about to happen a dove to the ground. The tanked exploded almost instantly and the shock wave hit Nightwing, sending him tumbling violently. Every bone in his body ached but his Nomex suit protected him from the flames. As he began to rise he felt a powerful blow to his face and his vision was overwhelmed with bright lights. He knew she had hit him and he struggled to overcome the blow when he felt a hand grab his suit from the chest and lifted him. She struck him a second time. He spat a few teeth out and tasted blood in his mouth.

"Star … please … don't." He gasped.

He couldn't see her face but she was crying.

"Richard Grayson, you are the love of my life, you are my soul mate … and now … I am going to kill you."

_**-( scene break )-**_

I wish to apologize to anyone who was affected by Raven's betrayal. From some of your reviews and private messages I exchanged with many of you I learned that some of you experienced this kind of betrayal first hand. For any discomfort I may have cause you, I am so sorry.

Believe it or not, infidelity, especially sexual infidelity, is one of my hot buttons. I am fortunate enough to never have experienced it myself, but it has hurt people who are near and dear to me, I want to illustrate in this story that there are consequences to infidelity, and these will continue to unfold in the upcoming chapters.


	24. Clemency

"Richard Grayson, you are the love of my life, you are my soul mate … and now … I am going to kill you."

Time slowed to a crawl as Grayson's vision slowly returned. He saw the princess, her face a mixture of anger and sadness; raise her right fist, conjuring a star bolt. He tried to free himself from her powerful grip, but his limbs felt numb and wouldn't respond to his commands, not that it would have made a difference.

He focused his eyes on the star bolt. It was so close to him that he felt a tingling sensation from its residual energy. It was a very large one and if she hit him with it, not even his Nomex suit would protect him, the blow would be fatal.

"Star … I'm sorry." He rasped.

"As am I." She replied as she drew back her hand, ready to deliver the life ending blow.

"Nooooo! Stop!" Raven's voice screeched.

As Starfire began a forward motion with her arm she felt a barrier blocking it. She turned her head and saw one of Raven's dark tendrils wrapped around her forearm. She then rotated her head with a snap, facing the sorceress.

"You will release me now, Raven."

Raven was levitating, with her hands extended towards the princess.

"I won't let you kill him." She shrieked.

The princess glared at her friend. "You are in no position to ask for clemency for him. He has affronted both Garfield and me with his dishonorable behavior and I will punish him."

"I'm just as much at fault as he is."

"Yes, you are. After I have dealt with him I will punish you as well, though I will not kill you. Now release me!"

Raven shook her. "I won't, not until you promise to not kill him."

More dark tendrils shot out from Raven's body. Starfire understood immediately that she intended to rescue Grayson from her grasp. Her eyes narrowed and glowed a bright green. Her star bolt evaporated and a pair of eye beams shot out and hit Raven square in the shoulder. The sorceress screamed in pain as her tendrils vanished and she collapsed and fell to the ground, writhing in agony as she clutched her wound. Starfire's lips trembled as she looked away from her fallen friend, but her face became hard again when she turned her focus back to Grayson and recalled her star bolt, which reappeared, even larger and brighter than before.

"Star … if you kill me … you'll regret it for the rest of your life."

Tears welled in her eyes. "I already know that … do you think this is easy … do you think I take pleasure in doing this? Honor compels me to do this … I can forgive you for abandoning me for another woman, but I cannot forgive you for hurting Garfield, as it is not for me to forgive ... I am sorry my beloved, but as you humans would say: my hands are tied. Please forgive me for what I am about …"

Her speech was interrupted by an eagle's shriek. Grayson and the princess looked up into the sky and saw a green raptor descending upon them. He landed next to the still writhing Raven and upon resuming his human form he quickly examined her wound. He then stood up and faced the once happy couple.

"Is she OK?" Grayson asked.

"She'll live." He replied in an ice cold voice.

He locked eyes with the princess. "Don't do it, Star."

"You have forgiven them? Tell me that it is not so, they are undeserving of your mercy."

Cyborg was the next to arrive and quickly ran to Raven's side. Staring horrified at the huge burn on her shouldehe shouted . "Yo! What's going on here!?"

The changeling ignored his friend and instead answered her question.

"I'll never forgive them. But if you kill him you'll become a murderer and I don't want to lose you too Starfire … just leave them … they deserve each other."

The princess released her grip and a still limp Nightwing fell to the ground, hitting it with a dull thud. She ran to the changeling and they embraced.

"Thank you, friend, for saving me from making a terrible mistake."

"Enough mistakes have already been made. It's time to stop." He replied as he pecked her on the cheek.

Grayson slowly rose to his feet on rubbery legs and saw the Raven sitting up as Cyborg applied some special spray and a bandage to her burn. The changeling noticed him and released Starfire from his embrace and approached his former friend.

"Thanks, Gar … I owe you one." Grayson wheezed.

"You got that right." Gar snarled at him.

Dick continued to pant, still feeling the adrenaline rush from facing certain death.

"Gar … believe me … I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to …"

The changeling scowled at him.

"Save it … you aren't my friend anymore and I'll never forgive you."

He paused, glanced back at Raven and locked eyes with her. She mouthed the words 'forgive me'. He turned back to Grayson.

"She's yours now, I hope you're satisfied with yourself … take her and get the hell out of here. Go crawl to that cesspool you have waiting in Bludhaven, you both belong there."

The changeling walked to the princess, who wrapped an arm around his shoulder and they walked away together. Dick walked over to Raven and extended a hand to her. She accepted it and he helped her get onto her feet. His promise to her rang in his ears. Suddenly his life had become very complicated.

"What are we going to do, Dick?" She whispered.

Mento had already arrived with Rita and was speaking into his communicator, which he snapped shut as he approached the cheating couple.

"Garfield is right; it's time for both of you to leave. I was just talking to Bruce. He's expecting you at Wayne Manor. I've arranged for a limo to take you to Gotham and leave you at a drop off point. Pennyworth will meet you and take you to Wayne. Pennyworth will further attend to your injuries once you arrive. Be ready to leave in five minutes."

He turned to face the sorceress. "Raven?"

She averted her gaze to the floor. "I'm sorry."

"You'd better be sorry, what you and Grayson did is unforgivable, Bruce and Pennyworth have some choice words waiting for you upon your arrival, especially for you Grayson … and before leave I want you to change out of your Doom Patrol uniform ... you aren't worthy of wearing it."

"Yes, sir." She replied meekly.

"I hope you realize what your selfish actions almost caused." Rita interjected. "Had we been a minute later, Grayson would be dead and Starfire would be a murderer. Did you really think that there would be no consequences?"

Raven lowered her head. "We'll leave quietly … I don't know what to say to Gar anymore."

"Raven, at this point the best thing you can do is keep your demon spawn mouth shut, you've already hurt him more than enough. Now get out of my house before I do something I'll regret." Rita dismissed her in a dry, emotionless monotone.

_**-( scene break )-**_

Clifford proudly piloted the brand new replacement Doom Patrol jet over the Atlantic Ocean. It was equipped with the latest anti missile protection. No one would be shooting them down this time. Mento sat next to him in the copilot's chair while Rita and Larry sat in the second row. The elastic woman would occasionally glance back at the rear row, where Garfield was seated with Starfire and Cyborg. Two empty seats stood out, where Grayson and the witch would have sat under happier circumstances.

Rita had to fight the urge to go and sit with the three young adults in the back, she knew that they were consoling him and providing moral support. They were his comrades and friends, or at least what was left of them but she knew that even though she was his mother that now was not the time to intervene and console him. There would be time for that later and she stopped looking.

The three friends sat together, pondering all that had happened. Cyborg was still shaking his head.

"I'm sorry B, if I hadn't egged you on at the Ball, none of this would have happened. I feel like this is all my fault."

"And if I had been a better girlfriend, perhaps Richard would not have left me for Raven."

The changeling shook his head.

"Stop blaming yourselves, none of it is your fault. When I pushed back against Raven during the Ball, it was long overdue. It would have happened long before had I not taken so long to grow a spine. The signs were there … Raven's bad news, I was just too afraid of being alone to see it … damn … I wonder how many other guys she's slept with behind my back … I feel so stupid."

"Hey man, don't kick yourself. You had some good times with her, didn't you?"

The changeling pouted unhappily. "Maybe in the sack … now Dick gets to bang her every night and I get to sleep alone … life isn't fair sometimes."

"Hey … just you wait and see, they won't last long and she'll come crawling back to you, and kiss your ass while she begs you to take her back."

He shook his head. "I don't think she'll come back … she knows she's burned her bridges with me and even if she did come, I won't take her back, not this time, not ever."

Starfire rubbed his shoulder. "Do not worry, my friend, you will find your true love, you must be the patient."

He smiled at her. "Well, right now I don't think I'm ready for that anyway, but I'm so glad I've got you guys with me … and I've decided to come back to the Tower."

Cyborg slapped him on the back. "I was just going to ask you about that, green jeans. The Justice League is sending us a couple of rookies to train and we could really use your help."

"Hey that sounds cool, so who are they?"

"They're a couple of powerhouses. The first one is Cassie Sandsmark, she supposed to be Donna Troy's replacement as Wonder Girl."

"Dude! She probably kicks butt. Is she cute?"

"She is, but she's still a teen … sorry man, she's jail bait."

"Figures … oh well. So who's the other one?"

"He's Superboy."

"Superboy? You mean like with an 'S' shield on his chest?"

"That's right, grass stain."

"Dude, I didn't know there even was a Superboy … I've heard of Supergirl, but not him."

"He's new on the scene. He's a Superman clone that Cadmus made clandestinely. Once the League found out they rescued him. They think he's ready for us."

Gar leaned back in his seat. "We're gonna have a lot of muscle on the team. We sure could use a detective type."

"I got that covered too. In a few more weeks Robin's also joining the team."

Starfire and Gar both did a double take. Cyborg laughed.

"No, I'm not talking about Grayson, though I wouldn't be surprised if Bats busts him back down to Robin when Tim shows up."

"Who is the Tim?" Starfire asked.

"Tim Drake … he's Bats current sidekick … he's Robin now." Gar clarified. "So Tim's also joining us?"

"That's right, I asked Bats myself and he said that it was time for Tim to come stay with us for a while. He does want us to give him back someday." Cyborg added.

Gar beamed. "This is gonna be fun … so what are we gonna call the team … I mean, we're not teens anymore.

"We're just the mentors." The tin man clarified. "There are gonna be more recruits. Once they're ready to stand on their own we move on and they'll be the new Teen Titans."'

"Move on to where?" Starfire asked in an uneasy voice.

"That's a good question … who knows? Maybe the Justice League, BB could always go back to the Doom Patrol ."

"I would like it more if we were to stay together." She replied in a meek voice.

"I could go for that too." The changeling agreed. "Who says we can't make our own team?"

"Sounds like a plan." Cyborg chuckled. "But we have our work cut out. These scrubs are really inexperienced. We won't be moving out any time soon."

The changeling smiled. "Me, a mentor? Who would have thought that?"

Starfire took his hand and squeezed it. "You will be a glorious teacher, my dear friend. Of that I do not doubt."

_**-( scene break )-**_

Alfred drove the Bentley straight into the Batcave, parking it next to the Batmobile. Grayson and Raven got out of the car, both refusing his help. He then led Dick to an examination table, where Grayson reclined with a grunt. He offered Raven, who had spent most of the 4 hour limo ride in a healing trance and who looked to be in good shape, a padded chair.

"Master Bruce will be down in a moment … Master Richard, is it true that the princess did this to you?"

"Yeah, she did."

"You're missing some teeth."

"She can hit really, really hard."

Alfred quickly examined Grayson's many injuries, tsk tsking as he proceeded.

"I am afraid that you will require profession attention, you have internal injuries that are beyond my ability to treat. I will have to contact Dr. Thompkins."

"I already contacted Leslie, she's waiting for us. Put him into the Batmobile, I'll take him."

Raven found the Dark Knight to be an imposing figure, and he ignored her as if she was invisible. Dick hobbled over to the Batmobile and climbed in. Bruce jumped in, closed the canopy and thundered out of the Batcave. Raven stared at the departing vehicle as it zoomed away, disappearing into the recesses of the cavern.

"He's a man of few words." Raven remarked dryly.

Alfred reappeared with a silver tray piled up with scones, a steaming teapot and a serving set for two. He poured a cup of tea for Raven and then one for himself. He then served her a small plate with a scone, then sat down across the small table from her.

"Thank you, Mr. Pennyworth."

"Please call me Alfred, Mr. Pennyworth is my father's name."

Raven nodded before sipping her tea. "It's very good, thank you."

"You are most welcome, Miss Raven. And forgive Master Bruce his brusqueness. Even though he and Master Richard parted ways many years ago, he is still very protective of him and still considers him his ward … I am afraid that he will be holding you responsible for his injuries."

Raven sighed. "He's right; everything that has happened is entirely my fault."

"I believe that Master Richard shares some of that blame, and once he recovers Master Bruce will read him the riot act … I'm sorry to say this, Miss Raven, I am very disappointed with both of you, but especially with you."

"Get in line … you're not the only one."

"Of course, I'm certain that Master Garfield must be most upset with you."

Raven let a small, sarcastic laugh escape from her lips.

"Upset with me? He hates my guts now, and for good reason too."

"Infidelity will make a man feel that way, my dear."

"You must be disgusted with us, wondering what's wrong with our generation." She moaned unhappily.

Alfred leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table.

"Your generation seems to be comfortable with airing its dirty laundry in public, even giving it euphemistic names like "friend with benefits", but I can reassure you my dear that infidelity has been around for a long time, perhaps since the dawn of the human race. There is a saying: There is nothing new under the sun. And it is true. If there is a difference between your generation and mine, it's only that we were ashamed of our sins and thusly we were more discreet about them and the more virtuous among us avoided them … Trust me, you aren't the first woman to cheat on her fiancé. As the Americans would say, I have been around the block a few times and have seen and experienced many things."

"That doesn't make it right." She lamented.

"Certainly not. But the question remains: why did you do it? Where you not happy with Master Garfield?"

"You sure seem to know a lot about us." She remarked in a slightly annoyed tone.

"I have always taken a keen interest in Master Richard. When he left and formed his team, the Teen Titans on the west coast, I followed the lot of you very closely. So it should come as no surprise that I am very familiar with all of you. So tell me my dear, why did you cheat on him? Or do you not even know yourself?"

Raven poked at her scone with her finger.

"Because … I am lustful demoness … I was deeply in love with my Garfield and at this very moment I still don't know how I'll be able to live without him."

Alfred arced an eyebrow. "Was he not enough?"

Raven lowered her head. "How did you know?"

Alfred sighed. "Before I entered into the service of the Wayne family I was an agent of the British government, a very minor agent, but an agent nonetheless, even if I did spend most of my time behind a desk. Anyway, while I was in her Majesty's service I entered into a relationship with one of my fellow agents. Her name was Marjorie, and she was a firecracker. We had what at the time was a shameful and illicit sexual relationship. She was intoxicating and I fell deeply in love with her. We even talked about marriage, that is until ..."

"You found out she was cheating on you. I'm so sorry." Raven interjected.

"Yes, you are quite correct. Her betrayal was a long time ago and did get over her, eventually. But she told me the same thing … that while she truly loved me that I was simply not enough, that no single man would be enough for her."

Tears began to well in Raven's eyes.

"I'm such a greedy idiot … I fell in love with Dick … how could I have done that? I wasn't unhappy with Gar, he's so sweet and loving. He's so supporting and affirming and he's a fantastic lover ... so why did I fall for Dick?"

"Only you know the answer to that question, my dear. There must have been something about Master Richard that appealed to you. Something that your Garfield lacked."

Raven's face became hard as stone. "No man is a perfect mate, yet millions of women around the world are happy with their imperfect husbands. I have no excuse and the worst thing of all was that as I cheated on him I knew that what I was doing was wrong, but I didn't care. After I had sex with Richard I felt filthy, dirty. I tried washing it away in the shower, but I couldn't."

She choked back a sob.

"How do I make it go away? How do I clean myself of that stench?"

Alfred's expression became somber. "It seems to me that you seek absolution, which I cannot grant, as I am not your Father confessor … perhaps you should seek the assistance of a Priest?"

Raven shook her head. "I'm a demon, Alfred. When people repent of their sins, the Almighty forgives them. But for us demons … there is no forgiveness."

"You are also human, Miss Raven."

"Am I?" She asked angrily. "Have I been behaving like a human?"

Alfred sighed. "In more ways than you can imagine, my dear."

Raven leaned back, once again struggling to not cry.

"What does it matter? I've lost him for good. Whether I like it or not, my future is with Dick now, there's no going back."

Alfred sadly shook his head. "That is an unfortunate choice."

Raven locked eyes with the majordomo. "What do you mean?"

Alfred betrayed a slight amount of discomfort with her question, as he imperceptibly squirmed in his seat.

"Master Richard is a good fellow. He will give his life to protect the innocent. But he is not a saint. When he began his relationship with the princess I was overjoyed, I had long hoped that he would be able to enter into a stable relationship with her and not follow Master Bruce down the sordid path of casual sex and short term relationships. He was so much like Master Bruce. He lost his parents, he thirsted for justice and … he was unable to establish long lasting relationships. When he was younger, before he left for Jump City he dated Miss Gordon. Unfortunately she too chose the path of casual sexual relationships and they went nowhere fast. When his relationship with the princess failed my heart was broken, though I did not expect him to target you."

"Alfred, what are you trying to tell me?"

"Forgive me for rambling. What I am trying to say is that he is not what some would call "husband material". You will probably have a satisfying short term relationship with him, especially if things work well for you in the bedroom. But you will grow tired of him, that is if he does not grow tired of you first."

"So you're saying that I threw away a one in a billion man for a guy who's gonna get bored and dump me?"

"I am afraid so, Miss Raven. You must understand, it won't be your fault. It's just how he is. I've seen it in Master Bruce and I'm afraid history is going to repeat itself."

Raven took a bite of her scone.

"I don't have anywhere else to go. I'm stuck with him."

"Stuck? My dear you are a super hero, a strong and independent woman. You can do better than him, trust me."

She shook her head. "I'm sorry Alfred, but there is more to it, something that you couldn't possibly know … Starfire once travelled to the future, a future where we stopped being friends. In my solitude I became mentally ill. That's something that frightens me as I value my mind above all else. Right now Dick is the only friend I have."

Alfred nodded sadly as he refilled her tea cup.

"I wish you the best of luck, my dear."


	25. The Loft

Before we continue, there is something I wish to clarify. In the previous chapter, when Raven is talking with Alfred, and told him that "I don't have anywhere else to go. I'm stuck with him." Some readers pointed out to me that it sounded like Raven had given up and was settling for Grayson as her only possible romantic option. As we all know, Raven has never been a damsel in distress, and she certainly isn't now. But as the episode "How long is forever" pointed out, if Raven were to live a life of solitude, without her friends, she would become insane. She is aware of this, and right now Dick is all she has left, at least at the moment. She can't go back to the Tower as she is disgraced, not to mention the awkwardness of being around Gar should he be there too. So in a sense she is stuck with Dick, though I failed to explain that properly in my haste to finish the chapter, and in looking back at it that passage does paint Raven as a woman who is dependent on a man, which she has never been (though she came close with Malchior). That passage has been fixed.

_**-( scene break )-**_

The Batmobile roared down the dark and mostly empty streets of Gotham's Crime Alley district. Few ventured here after the sun set, except for those who were poor and unfortunate enough to live there, and even they knew better than to venture outside once the sun had set unless it was absolutely necessary, choosing instead to barricade themselves inside their dilapidated homes and hope that the multiple locks on their doors would be enough to keep the pestilence of depravity and violence outside of their humble abodes.

Grayson sat still in his seat as Batman rushed him to professional medical care. Dick was feeling physically lousy, though he knew that Leslie would be able to fix his injuries and that a dentist would later replace his missing teeth with implants, but he wasn't worried about that. What concerned him was the man sitting next to him. His face was shielded by a cowl but Dick didn't need to see it to know that he was angry with him. His exposed lips alone revealed his displeasure, the way they were subtly curled.

"I know you're angry with me, Bruce."

Without taking his eyes off the road, Bruce replied.

"I was going to save the lecture until after your recovery, but since you seem so eager to discuss it now … fine."

The cabin fell silent.

"It's not what you're thinking, Bruce."

"And just what am I thinking?"

"That I'm some kind of scum bag."

More silence.

"So let me get this straight. You seduced a teammate, but not just any teammate, she was a teammate who was engaged, and not just engaged to anyone, she was engaged to a friend."

"I'm in love with her, Bruce."

"Irrelevant … you jeopardized your team with your selfish actions. I understand that things didn't work out between you and the princess, but why did you have to pursue the witch?"

"We have a special bond …"

"Oh please."

"No, really, she's been in my mind. Slade once poisoned me and …"

"You're making excuses, Dick. You could have asked her to break off the engagement and then pursued her … but you didn't want that. You just wanted a one night stand with her, with a friend, a friend who was engaged to another friend. What the hell is wrong with you? Don't you have any sense of boundaries?"

"He wasn't supposed to find out."

Bruce slammed the brakes, bringing the car to a screeching halt.

"Who the hell are you? You certainly aren't the kid who ran away to start his own team, the idealist who thought I was too dark and brooding."

"I've changed, Bruce, I've grown up."

"Grown up? You've become a self centered brat."

"I tried to resist her."

"Oh, so now it's her fault."

"She wanted me just as much as I wanted her. She also wanted the one night stand."

"And you just couldn't resist? You had to go and betray one of your closest friends behind his back. What happened to your sense of honor?"

"Times have changed Bruce, so don't lecture me with your antiquated sense of morality. And don't think you can take the high ground with me, I know that you've slept with dozens of women over the years."

"And they were all single and available. I never slept with an engaged or married woman."

"You're splitting hairs, Bruce."

Batman put the car back into gear and resumed driving.

"You're not welcome here anymore." Bruce growled.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Gotham is my city, so once you've recovered I want you to stay out."

"I was planning on staying in Bludhaven."

"I don't care where you go, just stay out of my city. And don't expect any financial support, I disown you. You're on your own."

"I wasn't expecting any financial help from you."

Bruce turned the car into a dark alley, and stopped behind the clinic's rear entrance. Dr. Tompkins was waiting for them.

"Does Leslie know?" Dick asked in a wary voice.

"I thought you said that my morality was antiquated. Are you afraid to stand by yours?"

"She's known me since I was a kid … she's older than you, she wouldn't understand."

"I told her that you were in an accident. I didn't want to upset her with the truth, not with all she's done for my family over the years. She thinks highly of you, so I decided to not spoil that illusion for her. Of course, you're free to tell her the truth."

They got out of the Batmobile. Bruce didn't offer to help Dick, who was walking with a limp and he didn't ask for any.

"Are you boys angry with each other?" Tompkins asked as she came to Grayson's side. "Dick, you look like hell, is this what being a Titan has done to you?"

"We just had a disagreement; Bruce was chewing me out for being reckless."

"Judging from your appearance he was right … Dick, what happened to you? You're missing some teeth and you look burned."

"I got into a fight with an alien … and there was an explosion."

Leslie gave him a cross look as she led him inside. "Dick Grayson, how many times have I told you and Bruce that you don't have super powers? Not that either of your ever listens to me, of course. One of these days your injuries will be untreatable."

"I'm sorry, Leslie, I know you care about us and I really appreciate that."

She shook her head. "Never mind, let's get you to an examination room."

_**-( scene break )-**_

_Two weeks later …_

Raven looked out the window and soaked in the vista of Bludhaven from the loft apartment she and Nightwing had moved into right in the middle of the city's crime district. Dick had insisted they live near where the crime was plus the rent couldn't be beat: they were squatting. It actually was an ideal situation, as the building was unoccupied and the stairs had long since collapsed, which would keep any curious types away. Dick had already wired the place with an alarm system and other defensive measures. The loft itself was run down and shabby, but that didn't bother her. They had moved in just a few days after Dick was discharged from Leslie's clinic. Dr. Tompkins had been Bruce's "confidential" physician for decades and had extracted enough bullets from his body to create a toxic waste site with all the lead. Dick too had received confidential treatment that in a real hospital would have attracted the police due to the nature of his injuries.

Dick had gone out to retrieve a couple of crates that Cyborg had shipped to them, each one containing personal possessions of theirs as well as supplies. The R-cycle, was also in transit. Soon they would be ready to begin their new role as vigilante crime fighters in Bludhaven.

Raven had stayed behind to meditate and while she did she found that she wasn't feeling relaxed or at peace, and she knew why. She was expecting a call from Cyborg. She kept her communicator and she remained in touch with Victor since her departure from the team. She learned from him that the mission in Africa went without incident and that the perps, a group that was using the mutated animals to keep unwanted visitors away from their illegal Xenothium mines, were apprehended.

She also learned that Garfield had chosen to return to the Tower to help train the next generation of Titans. She welcomed Victor's calls. She felt that he didn't judge her and was grateful that he chose to remain her friend. He was genuinely concerned for her, and knowing that made her feel a little better.

He was running late with his scheduled call and as she began to feel impatient she received a text from him: "We're chasing Mumbo right now. Will call later."

She frowned, knowing that "later" would be tomorrow as the blue skinned illusionist would no doubt lead them on a wild goose chase that would last for hours. She restored her communicator to her belt and turned on the TV. The channel that came up was the Gotham News Network and by sheer serendipity the news show that was beginning was "Superhero Magazine." To her surprise the main news story was about the Titans. She sat down on the edge of the bed she shared with Grayson and stared at the screen.

"_This is Cat Grant, reporting live from Jump City. Yesterday was the official debut of the two new Teen Titans: Wonder Girl and Superboy, who helped subdue one of the Titans' arch enemies, Dr. Arthur Light."_

Raven snorted. "Dr. Light an arch enemy? As if."

"_Unfortunately the Titans are unavailable at this moment, but we do have some footage from yesterday, taken after Dr. Light was apprehended, an interview with none other than the green shape shifter, Changeling."_

Raven who had been slouching, sat up straight. A beaming Garfield appeared on the screen, with Cassie and Connor at his sides, both smiling sheepishly. Cat Grant was with them.

"_So Changeling, first of all congratulations at once again capturing Dr. Light. I understand that he had quite the new arsenal at his disposal today."_

"_He always tries to defeat us with new toys, Cat, and as always he fails. But the credit for today's success goes to these two kids."_ He beamed as he wrapped his arms around their shoulders. Cassie blushed while Connor continued to smile. _"You're looking at the future of the Teen Titans. Wonder Girl and Superboy totally kicked Dr. Light's butt, and I have to say that I'm jealous, I couldn't have done as good a job myself!"_

Cat Grant chuckled as the changeling released the young super heroes, who were quick to leave him with the TV reporter.

"_Changeling, your fans everywhere are all wondering about why you broke up with Raven. Can you tell us more about that?"_

His smile faded. _"I'd rather not."_

After the mission to Africa there was a brief press release issued, which simply stated that Garfield and Raven had called off their engagement and that Raven had chosen to resign from the Titans. A separate press release later announced that Nightwing had also resigned and was going to pursue a solo career.

"_There are many rumors making the rounds, Changeling. Is it true that Raven is living with Nightwing at this point and that they are now a couple?"_

To his credit, Garfield maintained his equanimity.

"_I haven't been in touch with Raven since our separation … Cat … I would prefer to not discuss this anymore, it's private and I expect you and the public to respect that. We have gone our separate ways and that's all I have to say."_

"_We have been trying to contact Raven, but no one seems to know where she is."_ The reporter continued.

"_If you're asking me for a forwarding address, I'm afraid I don't have one … now if you will excuse me."_

Starfire appeared on cue and hooking her arm into his she led him away from the reporter, who turned back to the camera. Raven's lip trembled as she watched them walk away, arm in arm.

"_The former Titan known as Nightwing has been spotted in Bludhaven, but there is still no sign of Raven. If you send us a credible picture of her at her new location,we'll show it and give you a shout out …"_

"Why are you watching that crap? You'd never let us watch it at the Tower."

Raven turned off the TV. "I was channel surfing …"

"Raven, it's over … they aren't our team anymore. Pining for the 'good old days' won't do us any good. I miss them too, but we can't go back."

"I know … what took you so long? Where are the shipments?"

"They were delayed, they should arrive tomorrow."

"So, where were you?"

"Since I was already out, I decided go on patrol for a while. I busted a few guys robbing a liquor store … you should have seen their faces when I gave them an ass kicking."

Raven frowned at him.

"I thought we were a team, that we're gonna patrol together."

"We are. It was just a spur of the moment thing … sorry."

Raven nodded at the TV.

"You've been seen. The media is already speculating that we're a couple now."

"Well, we are a couple. Do you want to issue a press release?"

"Not really … I'm not one of the Kardashians, I do value my privacy."

"They're gonna speculate anyway."

"Let them. Gar's refused to tell them anything, why should I air my dirty laundry in public?"

Nightwing frowned. "Is that what I am to you? Dirty laundry?"

"No … of course not … I'm just not proud of how we wound up together."

"Hey, you broke up with him before you got married, you didn't do anything wrong. A lot of people will dump a spouse for someone better, it's not like you divorced him for me."

"I'm not like a 'lot of people', in case you've forgotten."

"I haven't forgotten… why do you think I'm with you?"

She fidgeted with her fingers before replying.

"Dick, do you think that we made a mistake?"

He starded at the floor.

"No … no I don't. We were drawn to each other Raven, and when you think about it we're a better match than we were with them."

"Don't you miss Starfire?"

He pursed his lips while he contemplated her question.

"That was puppy love. We're not kids anymore, Raven, we're adults now, with adult needs"

"Would you have dumped Starfire had you been able to have proper sex with her?"

"I don't know …"

"I think you do."

"It doesn't matter, it's in the past. And yes, I can't have sex with her, and yes, that was a problem."

"Did you love her?"

"You know that I did. Did you love, Gar? You did, but that didn't stop you from coming to me that night. We need to stop feeling guilty, Raven. One thing that I learned growing up in Wayne Manor is that love is fleeting. Bruce went through so many girlfriends that I lost count. And he was no old fashioned gentleman; he slept with them, all of them. I think we have something special going, maybe something that can last, but it won't if we feel guilty about those we left behind. They'll move on and find someone else, someone better suited for them than we ever were."

Raven sat down on the bed and pouted.

"It's not that easy. I shared my bed and my body with him for over five years, and I think that I left behind a piece of my soul with him too … and that you did the same with Starfire."

Dick rubbed his chin.

"I understand how you're feeling, because I feel that way too, but we need to move on as well. I'm not expecting you to forget him, I know you never will … I know I'll never forget about Starfire, but that's in the past and we have to let go of it."

Raven nodded. "I suppose that you're right."

He leaned forward and kissed her tenderly on the lips. "Everything will work out just fine, you'll see."

She kissed him back, this time more passionately. "I love you." She murmured.

He kissed her back with even more lust. They began continued to make out and after removing her cape he unzipped her leotard. She stood up and it slipped to the floor and was soon followed by her undergarments. Grayson was already waiting for her in the king size bed and she slipped under the covers to join him for another night of sex.

Hopefully she wouldn't think of Gar this time while they were in intimate embrace.

_**-( scene break )-**_

_A few days later …_

Gar opened the fridge's door and grabbed an apple, which he bit into with gusto, enjoying the sweet taste of the fruit. He glanced over at the couch, where Starfire was sitting with the new recruits. Tim Drake arrived that morning, wearing his all red Robin costume with the italicized _'R'_ on his chest. The TV was set to the Gotham News Network and 'Superhero Magazine' was about to begin. Gar grinned and leaping over the couch he landed next to the princess, who giggled at his antic.

Cassie grinned as the opening credits were running. "Yesterday they said that you might start dating the new Batgirl."

"I've never even met her." Gar laughed. "Where do they come up with this crap?"

Cat Grant appeared at the anchor's desk, with her perky Colgate smile.

"_We have breaking news today! Raven, the former Titan, has been spotted in Bludhaven!"_

A grainy video image, possibly taken with a smart phone, showed the old R-Cycle, which was now painted jet black, with Nightwing at the helm and Raven, her cape billowing behind her and her arms wrapped around Grayson's waist, sitting behind him as the motorcycle zoomed down a dark street, disappearing into the shadows. The video was only a few seconds long, and it was being played repeatedly on a continuous loop.

"_This video appears to confirm that the two former Titans are working together as Bludhaven's new crime fighting team, and possibly as more than that. As reported before, Raven ended a 5 year engagement with Changeling and Nightwing broke off a long term relationship of his own with the alien princess Starfire. Might there be a new superhero romance forming in Bludhaven? We will report as soon as we find out more."_

Garfield shut the TV off. "Great, now I'm going to have every reporter after me to get my side of the story."

"Don't worry B, we'll keep them away from you. In another week this will be forgotten, and they'll chasing the next scandal."

The changeling sighed. "How did I end up in the middle of a 'scandal'? I never did anything wrong."

The Tower's claxons began to blare. Garfield suddenly felt relieved. A mission would help take his mind off the sordid mess. While he hid it well, seeing Raven riding with Dick on his stupid motorcycle made his guts burn with anger. It was as if she was mocking him, with her arms wrapped around Grayson's waist. Of course he knew that they were a lot more intimate than that, but seeing them together on the motorcycle only helped remind him that she now was sleeping with Grayson every night, while he shared his bed with no one.

_What have I done to deserve this? _He thought to himself.

Cyborg was at the mission console, showing Drake the ropes. Gar snapped out of his funk.

"So who is it today?" He asked.

"Slade!" Tim and Cyborg replied in unison.

Gar smiled. "Good! I am so in the mood to kick his ass."

Everyone turned to him, as if waiting for something. His smile grew wider as he realized what they were waiting for.

"Titans go!" Gar shouted as he led the new team out the door.

_**-( scene break )-**_

Some of you have asked if I made up that Tamaranians are descended from felines. The answer is no, Marv Wolfman established that back in the 1980's. in the New Teen Titans


	26. The Power Plant

The T-Car barreled down the street, responding to the late night call. Cyborg, Robin and Changeling rode inside while Starfire, Wonder Girl and Superboy flew alongside the Titan's signature car, the two flying rookies stood out, as they wore jeans and T-shirts as opposed to the usual spandex costumes that super heroes usually had. Cyborg drove the car down the city's boulevards, following the instructions on the GPS/SatNav system which had been fed the coordinates by the mission console. As he drove the changeling began to recognize the path they were following, as it was one they had followed years before.

Following the computer's instructions they reached their destination and came to a stop. The three passengers egressed from the car and were joined by their flying teammates who landed next to them. Robin, Cassie and Connor immediately noticed that their mentors were staring, wide eyed, at the power plant before them. A power plant that had once been nearly destroyed, years ago …

… On Raven's birthday.

"If this is Slade's idea of a joke, I'm not laughing." Cyborg grumbled.

"Would one of you guys care to explain why you're all freaked out?" Superboy asked.

"Something really bad happened here, years ago." Gar replied.

"What kind of bad?" Cassie asked.

The three mentors hesitated, not wishing to reveal too much about what happened that fateful night.

"Slade had superpowers and used them against us. He kicked our asses … big time. Not even Raven could stop him." Cyborg remarked.

"Well, we have more muscle now, so it's going to be different this time." Wonder Girl blustered.

"Slade doesn't have those powers anymore … at least I hope he doesn't." Changeling clarified. "He just brought us here to mess with our minds, and we aren't gonna let that happen … everyone stay sharp."

They entered the building through the main entrance. The interior had long since been repaired and as back then dozens of giant pistons, fueled by geothermal energy, danced up and down, transferring their kinetic energy to even larger gears and cogs, which in turn drove the electric generators.

Slade was standing at the very same place he did last time, even with his leg resting on the railing. What was different this time was the presence of about four hundred Slade-bots, each one armed with a laser pistols

"Hello Titans, I was beginning to worry that you weren't going to accept the invitation to my reunion party."

Changeling stepped forward and pointed at their arch enemy.

"I don't know what your game is, Slade, but we're gonna take you down."

"You Titans always threaten to do that, yet it never happens, though I must say that I do miss Nightwing making those empty threats. And I see you've replaced him with Robin 3.0! I hear Nightwing's in Bludhaven these days, not a very nice town but he took Raven with him, so at least he's not lonely at night. I must say, they do make an interesting couple, wouldn't you agree … Beast Boy?"

Every muscle in Gar's body tensed up and he appeared to be ready to lunge at Slade. Cyborg placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't listen to him, B. He's just trying to mess with your mind."

Slade turned to face them with his arms folded behind his back.

"I'm going to mess with more than just your minds … if you think I gave you a beating the last time we met here; you're going to be unpleasantly surprised this time … Robots! Attack!"

Like a tidal wave the Slade-bots surged forward, firing their laser pistols at the six Titans. Wonder Girl and Superboy rushed forward to meet them. Cassie deflected their shots with her bracelets, sending many of them back into the throng, efficiently taking out droids. Connor zoomed in, seemingly impervious to the shots, though his black T-shirt with the ubiquitous 'S' shield on its chest wasn't faring as well and was already full of small holes from the shots. This didn't faze him and he charged into the throng, punching out Slade-bots left and right.

Starfire flew overhead, throwing her trademark starbolts while dodging the countless laser blasts that were sent her way. One by one, she also took out the droids, though Slade seemed to have an endless supply of them and at first it felt like they weren't making a dent in their numbers.

Cyborg turned both of his arms in to sonic cannons and fired. Droids fell left and right. "Booyah! It's like shooting fish in a barrel!"

They did fire their lasers at him and he had a hard time dodging them, his armor was able to absorb the shots, though they were taking a toll. Deciding to switch tactics he converted his cannons in to a new weapon: razor sharp blades. Figuring that the droids wouldn't be able to use their weapons as effectively in close quarters he charged into the crowd, slashing Slade-bots left and right.

Tim was busy fighting droids with his bo staff, using batarangs and other Batclan weaponry where appropriate. Gar watched him from the corner of his eye. The new Robin was very skilled in his fighting. He was little less athletic but more cerebral in his style than Grayson but was thus just as effective as his predecessor.

Changeling morphed into an ankylosaurus. He was counting on his exterior body plating to protect him from the lasers and he too charged into the sea of robots, slashing at them with his bony tail.

Slade watched from his lofty perch, until half of his robots had been decimated and Gar approached his position. He pressed a button on a controller attached to his wrist and jumped down into the fray, vanishing into a crowd of reinforcements that arrived, dozens of reinforcements that looked just like him.

The changeling noticed his subterfuge and gave chase to the real Slade, whose lookalike body guards turned and opened fire, all aiming at the green dinosaur's rear leg, where the protective scaling wasn't as thick. The green dinosaur fell to the ground, while the real Slade turned and ran into the Rube Goldberg machine like maze of gears, vanishing from sight.

Cyborg and Starfire saw what happened and came to the changeling's aid. The Slade lookalikes were closing in, their pistols drawn. The injured changeling's friends defended him with cannon blasts, starbolts and eyebeams and before they could inflict further harm on the changeling the Slade-bots were destroyed. Gar morphed back into his human form and Cyborg examined his injury.

"They got you pretty good, B. Sit this one out, we already have them on the run anyway."

"Slade's gonna get away again."

"Cyborg shrugged. "Eh … what's new? You just go sit over there and stay out of harm's way, we got this one."

The changeling nodded his agreement and limped away from the battlefield. There was a secluded bench at the far end of the cavernous room that was somewhat shielded by some consoles. It would be a good place to go lick his wounds.

He sat down and watched the rest of the battle continue. He smiled as the three rookies were doing great. Slade's mechanical army was being routed.

Gar turned his attention to the wound on his leg. It was deep and hurt like hell, plus the smell of burned flesh made him feel nauseous. He suddenly realized that this was when Raven would swoop down out of nowhere and heal him. Well … that wasn't going to happen today.

He turned his attention back to the battlefield, studying the rookies' moves so that he could provide them with feedback later, though he was having trouble finding anything wrong with what they did. He focused so intensely that he didn't notice a figure lurking in the shadows behind him. The mysterious silhouetted figure raised an arm and aiming a pistol at the changeling, it fired.

A small dart whizzed through the air and hit Garfield in the neck. His hand shot to the point of impact and quickly pulled the dart out, but it was already too late as his vision was beginning to blur. He tried to call for help but no words came from his mouth. In a final attempt to fight back he tried to stand up, but fell to the floor, unconscious.

Slade emerged from the shadows and knelt next to the supine changeling. He rifled through Garfield's utility belt until he found his communicator, which he shut off and pocketed it. He then picked up the changeling, threw him over his shoulder and vanished back into the shadows.

The battle continued until the very last Slade-bot had been destroyed. The five Titans raised their fists into the air, pumping them as they celebrated their victory.

"It looks like Slade got away." Robin remarked with a hint of disappointment in his voice.

"He always runs, we'll catch him one of these days." Cyborg remarked offhandedly.

Starfire was looking around the room with a troubled look on her face. "Has anyone seen Changeling?"

The other four Titans looked a bit surprised and joined the princess in her search. Cyborg tapped into his arm and a display popped up. "His communicator is offline, I can't track him."

"What happened to him?" Cassie, who was now worried, asked.

"He got hurt, so I told him to sit it out." The tin man replied.

"So where is he then?" Connor asked.

"He has been captured by Slade!" Starfire thundered. "How could we have allowed this to happen!? Was no one watching him?"

The three rookies shrugged.

"Who usually has his back?" Robin asked.

"That would be Raven." Starfire replied in a dejected voice.

_**-( scene break )-**_

_Back in Bludhaven …_

It was almost 1 AM and a dark hemisphere rose from the floor in the loft and it vanished revealing Nightwing and Raven's figures. They had spent the night on a stake out and they came home empty handed.

"I still think detective work is boring." She announced as she removed her cape and kicked off her boots. "You sit around waiting for something to happen. And yes, I know, we have to know whose butt to kick before we can kick it."

Grayson peeled off his Nomex suit and hung it in his closet, from which he emerged naked. He slipped into the bed and smiled at her. "The night doesn't have to be a total waste."

Raven removed her leotard and undergarments before joining him between the sheets. They began to kiss and grope each other.

"You said you weren't into foreplay." He teased her.

"Actually, tonight I am." She replied before moaning as he fondled her breasts.

They continued groping each other, kissing passionately as they explored each other's bodies. Their breathing became deeper as their mutual arousal increased.

"You ready?" He asked her.

"I am." She replied between kisses.

Their sexual escapade was interrupted by a familiar trilling sound. Grayson jerked his head in the direction of her chest of drawers.

"You still have your Titan's communicator?" He asked, unable to conceal the surprise in his voice.

"Cyborg told me to keep it." She replied as she pushed him away and got out of the bed.

"You aren't gonna answer that now? Can't you just let it go to voice mail? … We're in the middle of something here."

Raven walked, her naked gray body glowing in the moonlight, towards her communicator.

"If they're calling this late it must be important."

Nightwing groaned unhappily, miffed that their coital session had been suddenly interrupted, but also got up.

"This had better be really important." He growled.

Raven flipped her communicator open, holding it close to her face to hide her nakedness from whoever was on the other end. She was expecting it to be Cyborg, but to her surprise it was the Tamaranian.

"Starfire? Why are you calling? Is everything OK?" Raven asked apprehensively. She and the princess had not parted on good terms and she still remembered the eye beam inflicted wound the princess gave her.

Starfire was fighting back her tears. "Oh Raven, I have very bad news. Slade has captured Garfield."

"WHAT!?" Raven shrieked.

A maskless Grayson's eyes became wide and he snatched the communicator from Raven. "Are you sure Starfire? How did this happen?"

"Slade set up the ambush at the power plant. He had many robots and we did not notice … Richard … we need help! No one knows Slade better than you."

Raven was already zipping up her leotard. "We're on our way Starfire." He shouted.

"I'll have Bumblebee get you guys in their T-ship." Cyborg's voice boomed over the communicator.

"Negative … we can get there in a moment. Nightwing out."

Grayson quickly suited up and filled a duffel bag with an assortment of his weapons.

"How are you gonna get us home?" Raven asked.

"We are home." He snapped at her. "As to how we're gonna get to the Tower, someone owes me a favor."

Nightwing inserted a small communicator into his ear and tapped on it.

_This is the Watchtower._ J'onn J'onzz's voice echoed in Nightwing's ear. _What can I do for you, Nightwing?_

"I need an emergency teleportation for two to Titans Tower."

_Stand by; teleportation will begin in a few moments._

_**-( scene break )-**_

Raven and Nightwing shimmered into existence in the Common Room. Cyborg stepped forward to greet them. "I wish I could welcome you guys back under happier circumstances."

Starfire approached Raven and pulled her aside. "I am still unhappy with what you did to Changeling and to me, but we need to work together to save him.

"Starfire … you know that I still love him."

"It is too late for that, Raven. As Earthlings would say you have made your bed."

"I know that, but Dick and I are here … Starfire … he had already broken up with you … please don't be angry with me."

"He would have come back to me, eventually. But now, that will not happen."

Raven sighed unhappily. "If we broke up, would you take him back?"

"I would … but after tasting you he will simply find another human mate. He will not return to me Raven, and for that I will not forgive you … but as I was saying, we must put our differences aside if we are to save our friend."

"Our friend? You mean yours … I'm not his friend anymore."

"You are mistaken, he still cares about you."

"He does? … Would he take me …"

Starfire scowled at her. "Now is not the time to think about that. If we are successful with the recovery, then you may attempt the reconciliation, though I do not believe he will take you back … you have caused much harm with your selfishness, Raven, harm to many people. However, I still consider you to be my friend as we have been through too much together for our friendship to die, no matter how wounded it is at the moment."

"Thank you." Raven whispered back to her.

Cyborg was talking to Nightwing at the other end of the room and had just explained to him what happened.

"You know he's gonna use Gar as a bargaining chip, something to keep us out of his way." Nightwing remarked.

"We know that."

"Any leads, yet?"

"Not yet, I am running a heuristic search pattern over the city's power grid. It takes a lot of energy to make that many robots."

"You know he has his own power source. That would be too easy to trace. Slade's smarter than that." Grayson opined.

"Yeah, he is. I know Slade will contact us, I just can't bear standing around and doing nothing while we wait."

"Well, we're here to help, Cy. I know you guys think I'll a total douche bag for taking Raven from him, but I didn't really mean to steal her from him."

"Then what the hell were you doing?"

Grayson bit his lower lip. "Look, Raven and I have had feelings for each other for a long time. I was gonna go away, possibly for good. We decided to have a onetime fling before I left. Gar wasn't supposed to know … Raven really did want to marry him."

Victor scowled at his long time friend. "You're a real piece of work. You fucking ruined everything for them … they were happy together, they were finally happy."

"Look, I'm sorry … if I could undo what I did, I would."

"Coulda, shoulda, woulda doesn't cut it, Dick. You fucked around with an engaged woman. That's low, really low."

"Believe it or not, I consider Gar to be my friend."

"So why did you have go and fuck his girl? Sure, things didn't work out for you with Star, but c'mon, there's tons of girls out there … why Raven?"

"It didn't seem like the wrong thing to do. She was still single and was willing."

Cyborg frowned. "Well, she's your girl now."

"Is she?" Nightwing retorted.

"You're banging her every night, right?"

"Well … yeah."

"She's your girl then."

Grayson shook his head. "No … she's not. She wants to come back, she's hoping that Gar will forgive her and take her back."

"Ain't gonna happen, and it's all your damn fault. Look … I don't expect that Raven's gonna stay around with you for long, but while she is with you, you'd better treat her right or you're gonna answer to me. And when she does dump you, and mark my words she will, you'd better come back on your knees and ask Starfire to forgive you, again."

"In case you forgot, she tried to kill me the last time she saw me."

"That's over, knucklehead. And if you do comeback, she'll take you back, she always will. I wish I could convince BB to do the same with Raven."

Grayson became crestfallen. "It was just supposed to be a one night stand … I mean … she's already slept with other guys … it shouldn't have mattered."

"Well … it did matter." Cyborg remarked in a sour tone.

Their conversation was interrupted when the giant TV came to life and displayed Slade's masked face.

"Greetings Titans." His smooth monotone permeated the room. "Don't bother trying to trace this call. I'm using Beast Boy's communicator and I've already disabled the tracking circuitry.

Raven charged at the screen. "What have you done to him, Slade!?"

"Don't you worry your little violet head, he is quite alright. We have dressed his wound and he's resting peacefully in one of my holding cells, with a power cancelling collar around his neck to prevent any transformations."

"What do you want, Slade?" Nightwing growled at the screen.

"I see the celebrity couple is complete. I have to say that I am very proud of you Nightwing; you stole your teammate's fiancé from him. Good job."

"Enough, Slade! You will release him immediately and unharmed or so help me I will hunt you down and kill you myself." Raven screeched.

"You seem to be confused, my dear Raven, and not just because you can't make up your mind as to which man you love, though it is obvious to me that you favor the changeling. You see Raven; right now I call the shots. I am the one who makes the demands, not you."

"What demands!?" Superboy bellowed.

"Isn't it obvious, my Kryptonian clone? I want the Titans to abandon Jump City and never return. After I have successfully occupied the city I will release him."

"You expect us to believe that lie?" Wonder Girl shouted.

"Believe what you want child. Once you are gone I'll install seismic bombs underneath the city. If you return, I'll detonate them. It will create a super volcano that not only will annihilate the city; it will devastate the entire west coast."

"You won't get away with this." Nightwing snarled.

"I don't see how I won't. Oh and by the way, you have 3 days to leave. If you don't I'll deliver Beast Boy to you in tiny little green pieces in a box… have I my made myself clear?"

"Crystal clear." Cyborg muttered.

"Wonderful, we are in agreement. Goodbye Titans … oh … and have nice day tomorrow."

The transmission was cut.


	27. The End of the Road

The changeling groaned as he slowly woke up, instinctively reaching for the spot on his neck where the dart had struck. What he found instead was a metal collar … a power cancelling collar. He tried transforming into a fox, but nothing happened.

He looked around the room. It looked like a jail cell in a police station, a plain cinderblock room, with a stainless steel toilet and sink, bare concrete floor and old school bars on one wall. He sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed and yelped as lightning bolts of pain shot out of his leg wound.

He stared at the floor as he assessed his situation. He remembered the dart and now he was here.

_I've been captured by Slade … great … way to go doofus._

He was facing the bars and after a few minutes he looked up from the floor. He stifled a gasp as someone was standing on the other side of the bars. It was a very shapely and well toned young woman, probably in her late teens or early twenties. She was wearing a form fitting blue spandex outfit with orange boots and had a pair of sheathed katanas hanging from her back. Her hair was platinum blond and she wore a white eye patch over her left eye.

"How are you, Garfield?"

He scowled at the evil knockout.

"Who are you supposed to be, Slade's new apprentice?"

"I'm more than his apprentice, far more."

The changeling grimaced in disgust. "That's sick … it's bad enough that he turns nice girls to evil, but now he's fooling around them too?"

The young woman laughed. "I was never 'nice', Garfield. And I'm not fooling around with him … why would I? He's my dad."

The changeling leaped to his feet, his mouth agape. His wounded leg buckled and he almost fell, he caught himself by clutching at the bars. "Slade has a daughter? Since when? How come we never heard of you?"

"He also has a son … you know him as Jericho, though his real name is Joseph. You Titans didn't know about me because I spent most of my childhood with my mother, that is until dad came back for me … the name's Rose by the way."

Changeling was now sporting a confused look on his face.

"Jericho is … Slade's son? No. Freaking. Way."

"Yes, way. Did he ever tell you guys why he's mute?"

"No … we uh … never asked."

Rose smiled flirtatiously at him. "Joey was kidnapped as a child. Dad rescued him, but not before they slit Joey's throat, destroying his vocal chords. Joey's mother was furious with dad for being reckless and not just paying the ransom. Dad was a hit man back then and he said that his reputation was on the line and that he would lose all his street cred if he didn't rescue Joey. Joey's mother divorced dad and took Joey with her."

"So you guys are only half siblings."

"That's right … say … did I tell you that you're cute?"

"I'm sure your dad won't let us date." He replied in a contemptuous voice.

"You're also funny … sorry to hear that the witch dumped you. If you play nice, I might be able to cheer you up."

He scowled at her. "For the record, I dumped her cheating ass … and whatever you mean by 'play nice', I'm not interested."

She smiled seductively at him. "I'm a virgin, Garfield. I've just been waiting for the right guy."

"Yeah, and I'm Justin Timberlake. What do you want from me, Rose? If you think I'm gonna join team Slade, dream on."

"Dad's been watching Terra … she just started at Gotham State U. And her husband … what's his name … Sam? Terra is a formidable opponent, but her husband, he's just a nerd; he couldn't fight his way out of a paper bag. He's cute … but he's a wimp."

"You leave them alone!" Gar thundered at her. "If anything happens to them, you'll pay for it!"

Rose grinned. "It would be a shame if something happened to Sam, wouldn't it?"

"I'm warning you, Rose."

"You're in no position to make demands, changeling. In case you've forgotten, you're our prisoner and your friends have no idea of where we are."

Gar sat back down on his cot, looking defeated.

"Will you leave them alone if I play 'nice' … but I draw the line at making out."

Rose grinned happily and unlocked the jail cell door, sliding it open and walking in.

"Works for me."

"Does Slade know about this?"

"Hell no." She replied as she next to the wary green Titan and pulled him into a kiss.

He was stiff as a board at first … until he noticed that she knew how to kiss, did she. Virgin my ass, he thought. He resisted at first, but after a couple of minutes he placed a hand on her waist, then the other one followed. The kissing intensified and soon they were lying on his cot and he was fondling her breasts. She stopped kissing and grinned at him.

"I knew you you'd like it."

She was right. He did like it.

_**-( scene break )-**_

"Wonderful, we are in agreement. Goodbye Titans … oh … and have nice day tomorrow."

The transmission was cut.

"We have to rescue him." Raven immediately remarked.

"Well … duh!" Wonder Girl rejoined in snarky tone. Raven glared at the girl, who didn't even flinch.

"What are we waiting for?" Raven asked. "What's the plan?"

"We've got three days, it's late and we're all tired." Cyborg pronounced solemnly. "First things first, we rest and start the search first thing in the morning."

"Are you crazy? Who knows what Slade's doing to him right now?" Raven shrieked. "Do you actually expect us to just go to bed?"

"Yes I do, Raven. We just fought over four hundred Slade-bots. Even if we could find Slade's lair there's no way we could get in there and out until we've rested."

"Shouldn't we at least start looking?" She asked.

"We can't rest if we're out combing the city … sorry Raven … look , I want to find him just as much as you do, but we need to do this the right way."

Grayson placed a hand on her shoulder. "Cyborg's right. And we don't need to worry; Slade's using Gar to blackmail us. He won't hurt him until the three days are up."

"And what do we do if we haven't found him by then?" Young Robin asked.

Cyborg crossed his arms. "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Now everyone get some rest. Let's meet up at 6:30 for breakfast."

_**-( scene break )-**_

"Your old room hasn't changed much." Raven remarked as Grayson dropped his duffle bag on the floor.

"Well, I never personalized it like you guys did. Cassie has your old room and Superboy's in what would have been your new room. Cy just converted my old room into the new guest room."

"Whatever." He replied absentmindedly.

Grayson stripped down and got into the bed.

"Are you coming? We still have some unfinished business." He cajoled her.

Raven gave him a dark glare. "Our friend is in Slade's clutches and all you can think about is getting laid?"

"It's a great way to de-stress." He said hopefully.

"Maybe for you. I'd rather meditate now."

He reluctantly nodded. "Sure … I understand. Just don't stay up all night fretting."

"I don't do 'fretting'. I said I was going to meditate. OK?" She replied in an impatient tone.

"OK … don't bite my head off."

"Sorry … I'll be quiet when I come back, I won't wake you."

"You mean you won't meditate here?"

She shook her head. "I'd rather be alone."

"So … rooftop, huh?"

"I suppose." She replied as she walked out the door. "Sleep well."

The door slid shut behind her as she walked down the all too familiar hallway. It seemed like an eternity ago, when she and Gar walked these hallways together. Now she felt like an outsider, an intruder in what had been her home for almost ten years. She walked the hallways quietly, her footfalls making no sound at all as she walked to the elevator. She suddenly stopped in front of a door, not knowing why. She turned to face it and saw the name "Changeling" stenciled on it.

She pressed the "Open" button next to the door but it beeped back at her, indicating that it was locked. She ignored the warning and phased through the door.

The room was setup the way she remembered it, though it was now tidier than in years past. The bunk beds were still there and she levitated to the upper bunk and sat on it, recalling the marathon session of "make up sex" she had with Gar after he recovered from the Doom Patrol's jet crash. She picked up his pillow and raising it to her face she inhaled deeply, taking in his unique scent, which some likened to the smell of a wet dog, which she missed immensely.

Realizing the futility of her actions she tossed his pillow aside and hopped off his bed. She really did need to meditate and there was nowhere in the Tower where she felt more comfortable than in this room.

She sat down on the floor, adopted the lotus position and began to meditate. She slowly began to levitate and the room around her vanished and she was surrounded by the cosmos.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos … Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos … Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos … Azarath, Metri …"

Raven's eyes opened wide and she fell to the floor, landing with a dull thud on its carpeted surface.

"Garfield!"

She had sensed him. It was a weak sensation, but it was without a doubt him. She leaped to her feet and stared out the window. He was out there somewhere and she could feel him, at least she could right now. She couldn't pinpoint him from her current position, all she could tell was that he was somewhere on the north side of the bay.

She hesitated. Cyborg's orders had been to rest, but she was afraid that if she didn't act now that she would lose his trail. She was as tired as the others, but she was getting a second wind now that she sensed his presence. Throwing caution to the wind she phased through his window and flew across the bay towards the north shore. As she zoomed across the briny water his aura became stronger. When she reached the shore his aura became stronger and she was able to sense his emotions in slightly more detail. While it was still faint, she could sense pain, anger and … pleasure?

Raven picked up even more speed and banked to the left, flying over the city's business district. She looked straight ahead and saw the warehouse district in the distance. What was with supervillains that made them set up shop in run down warehouse districts? She shook away the thought and focused on his aura, which grew stronger as she approached the warehouses. She was smiling in anticipation as she got closer and finally she came to a full stop, hovering over the now defunct and abandoned "Happy Dolphin" canned tuna warehouse. Happy Dolphin had gone out of business even before the Titans had formed their team and the building looked so dilapidated that a mere sneeze would bring forward its destruction.

As Raven hovered she debated what to do. Common sense said that she should return to the Tower or at least call with her discovery. She pulled out her communicator and flipped it open. She stared at it, her thumb hovering over the call button as she wavered.

She snapped it shut and returned it to her jeweled belt. She had the element of surprise on her side. If she went back or summoned her teammates, Slade would see them coming and be ready for them. This was something she had to do by herself, she owed it to him. It would be dangerous, but they were Titans and in any case she was certain that this was her best chance of rescuing him.

She focused intensely on his aura, which was brighter than ever, and this concerned her. Was Slade torturing him? She could definitely feel that he was in pain … but she was also sensing pleasure, which continued to perplex her. She pushed the thought aside and pinpointed his location. He was 40 meters underground and he wasn't alone. She couldn't recognize who was with him, but it wasn't Slade. Other than that, he was alone, which was good. She would have to proceed carefully, to keep the element of surprise on her side. She would approach stealthily, disable whoever was with him and get him out of there before Slade could react.

How hard could it be?

Gritting her teeth Raven dove down towards the warehouse, phasing through the ground. She passed through the first level, which was Slade's usual lair full of gears and other machines grinding away. The next level appeared to be storage. Raven continued diving into the bowels of the lair, phasing through level after level until she reached her destination.

She materialized in a brightly lit hallway, illuminated by buzzing fluorescent lights. She carefully took in her surroundings, reaching out with her empathic senses. There were only two other people on the level and there weren't far away. Raven noticed that she was on a detention level as the hallway was lined with jail cells. She glided carefully over to his cell and as she drew near she heard the sound of happy moans, both Garfield's and those of … a woman?

She silently reached his cell and peeked inside. She saw him groping and kissing a very shapely platinum blond, who was groping him as well. Her jaw fell.

"Get your filthy hands off my boyfriend!"

Rose leaped off the bed, brandishing her two razor sharp katanas.

"Your boyfriend? I thought you were sleeping with Nightwing these days." She grinned maliciously as she twirled her swords. "Last time I checked he was free and available. Are you feeling jealous or having regrets, witch?"

"Watch your mouth, Popeye."

"Oh, that was witty. Once I'm done with you, you won't have any eyes."

Rose lunged at Raven with an unnatural speed, clearly going in for the kill. Raven was ready for her. She extended her hand and her eyes glowed black. Rose was enveloped in her dark energy and gasped when she realized she was trapped. Raven slammed her against a wall and knocked her out.

She ran to the changeling and grabbed his hand. "You have some explaining to do!"

Her dark hemisphere appeared and they vanished into the ground.

_**-( scene break )-**_

Raven's spectral bird alighted on the Tower's roof and faded away, revealing the Chromatically Challenged No Longer A Couple. Using her dark energy she removed his collar and his powers returned. The changeling stepped away from the sorceress, limping as he put some distance between them. He stopped when they were about 10 feet apart.

"Thanks … thanks for saving me." He muttered.

"You sure didn't look like you needed saving … who the hell was that? And why were you kissing her?" She growled at him.

He frowned back at her. "I don't owe you any explanations. You aren't my girlfriend anymore, in case you forgot."

Raven frowned back at him. "She's one of Slade's minions and you were making out with her. Even if I'm not your girlfriend anymore I'm still your friend and it is my business."

He moaned unhappily. "She's Slade's daughter."

Raven became bug eyed. "You were kissing Slade's daughter?"

"She was threatening to hurt Terra and her husband unless I made out with her."

"Terra can take care of herself." She snapped back at him. "And you were enjoying it, don't deny it!"

He scowled at her."Like I already said, I don't owe you any explanations Raven, who I kiss is none of your business. You made your choice … and it wasn't me."

He limped away from her and his injured leg buckled and he fell. She caught him. He glared at her and regained his balance.

"You're hurt … your leg … you were shot." She murmured as she placed her hand over his wound, her blue light appeared.

He shoved her hand away. "Don't touch me! You lost that privilege!"

"I'm just trying to help." She whispered.

He sat down on the roof's ledge. "Then go help someone else. Why aren't you with your new boyfriend anyway? Where is he?"

"He's not my boyfriend … he's asleep in his room …"

She joined him on the ledge, sitting at a respectful distance.

"Gar … I want to … can we talk?"

"About what?" He snapped.

She bowed her head. "About what I did."

"Do you have any idea of how much you hurt me?"

Without looking at him she nodded. "Yes, I do. And I'm very sorry."

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes. He was grimacing as he struggled to not cry.

"Why did you do that to me?"

She sighed. "I know this is going to sound hollow, but … it wasn't about you."

"Oh … I already know that … it was about you and Dick. You dumped me for him."

She shook her head. "I wasn't planning on replacing you with him."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"It was a onetime fling, Gar. It was going to be the last time Dick and I ever saw each other. We just … I love him too We both realized that we had to put some distance between us, because of you and me. It was a goodbye."

"I suppose that just kissing him goodbye wasn't enough?"

"No … I was in love with him. If not for you, I would have been engaged to him."

"Yeah, you mentioned that. For some odd reason that doesn't make me feel any better."

"Gar, we had agreed to not see each other again … you weren't supposed to know. I was going to be faithful to you after that."

"You're so full of crap." He heaved an exasperated sigh. "Raven, why are you telling me this?"

She turned to face him. "Gar, will you please take me back?"

He bit his lip while his jaw trembled. "You're joking, right?"

"No, I'm serious … I … I don't love Richard. Now I know that I only love you."

He raised his arms in a gesture of mock frustration. "Oohhh! Now you tell me! Why didn't you say that before … you know … like when you cheated on me?"

Raven shrunk away. "Don't you love me?" She whimpered.

"Dammit! You know that I do!"

He turned away, staring at the bay. "Which is why your betrayal hurt me so much."

"I'll make it up to you, I swear. I'll do whatever you ask, just give me another chance. Please."

Tears began to slide off of his face.

"You have no idea of how much I want to do that. I miss you; I miss you so much that it hurts."

He wiped his tears away with his sleeve. "Every morning when I wake up alone, without you at my side I wonder how I'm going to make it through the day. Every time I see you and Dick in the news my heart breaks, knowing that you're with him and not with me."

"Then let's try again." She pleaded, her tone bordering on desperation. "Dick will go back to Bludhaven … he's out of the picture. I only belong to you now Gar … please take me back."

"There is nothing I would love more to do than that, but …"

"But?" Her voice wavered.

"I don't trust you, Raven … I already feel as if I'm giving my heart back to you, but I know how that will end again. And I can't handle that, not again."

"It won't … I promise." She whimpered.

He stood up, wincing as he placed weight on his wounded leg.

"You said that last time … I'm sorry, but … this is the end of the road for us. It's time for me to stop being angry with you and to move on."

She pursed her lips as she fought back the tears. "I'm so sorry, Gar. Knowing that I hurt you, it gnaws at me."

He nodded. "I know … listen Raven … I forgive you, I forgive you for everything you've done to me. I forgive you for all the put downs, the insults, for every time you hit me. And I forgive you forthe two times you cheated on me. Whoever you end up with, I hope you have a good and happy life. All I know right now is that it won't be with me."

He turned away from her. "I'm going inside now to tell the others I'm back."


	28. Bludhaven vs the Tower

The sound of heels clicking on the hard concrete surface echoed down the hallway. They stopped in front of a jail cell with an open door. The solitary figure cleared his throat.

Rose slowly sat up, rubbing her head as she did.

"Ow!" She complained.

"I told you to watch out for the demoness." He chided her in his signature monotone.

"Damn … she packs a wallop." Rose griped as she slowly stood up.

"Didn't I instruct you to leave him alone?"

"Yeah, you did."

"So why did you disobey me? You realize that Raven found our lair only because of the intense emotions he generated during your forbidden romantic encounter."

Rose balled her fists.

"Why? I'll tell you why. Do you when was the last time I got laid?"

"One year, two months and eleven days ago." He calmly replied. "With an insipid Goth boy who was unworthy of you, a nobody named Dylan Vadovski."

"And he sucked! I beat the crap out of him afterwards."

"So, in order to satiate your lust, you decided to help yourself to our prisoner, our bargaining chip."

"Hey! If he could keep the demoness pleased for over five years, he's gotta be good in the sack. Of course she had to show up uninvited just as things were getting interesting."

"Yes … she did. Rose, your selfish mistake has cost us dearly. I expect you to rectify it."

The one eyed girl nodded meekly. "I will, dad … do you have a plan?"

"You know me, daughter. I always have a plan."

_**-( scene break )-**_

The common room sliding doors opened. Other than small night light in the kitchen area it was dark and silent was well. Changeling limped out of the elevator and headed over to the mission console. Raven followed him out of the lift.

"Would you stop being so damn stubborn and let me heal you?"

"I don't want you to touch me and I don't want you to absorb my wound."

"It's the least I can do after what I did to you."

"And that's why I don't want you to heal me."

Raven locked eyes with him. "OK, I get it. We're not a couple anymore and you're punishing me by not allowing me to help you or even touch you. You do realize that you're cutting off your nose to spite your face?"

"I always thought that was a stupid saying." He replied morosely.

"Gar … Slade's on the prowl and he has a sidekick. You need to be in top shape … you can't fight like this. It will take weeks, maybe months for this to heal on its own."

"Aren't you the logical one?" He sneered at her.

"Not always."

He waved his arm in a frustrated gesture. "OK, fine … let's just get it over with."

Raven knelt down in front of him and placed her hands on his wound. Her blue light appeared and he could literally feel the burn and muscle damage disappear. At the same time he saw the wound appear on her thigh. He cringed as he watched it grow. It was indeed ugly and he saw beads of sweat form on her face as she continued to concentrate. Finally she was done and she removed her hands. His own hands replaced hers as he explored where the wound used to be. All he found was a hole in his pants.

Raven winced in pain as she stood up. "Don't worry, one solid healing trance and I'll be as good as new." She admonished him as she wrapped her cape around herself, hiding her legs.

"Thanks … you didn't have to do that."

"It's OK." She replied. "Go ahead … wake them up."

He nodded before slapping a big red button on the console, which was simply labeled "Emergency". The Tower's claxons began to blare and the red lights flashed.

Cyborg was the first to arrive. "B! You escaped!"

The others poured into the common room. They all ran up and hugged the green changeling, except for Nightwing, who drifted along the periphery of the small crowd. That last one to hug him was Starfire, who wrapped her arms around him and held him close, kissing him repeatedly on his cheeks while Grayson and the sorceress watched silently.

"How did you escape?" Robin asked.

"I had some help … actually … Raven found me and busted me out."

Grayson sprang forward and confronted his … well … whatever she was. "You said that you were going to meditate!"

Cyborg chimed in. "And I thought we agreed to wait until the morning. What the hell were you thinking?"

Raven didn't budge under the heavy scrutiny she was receiving. "I was meditating … until I felt Gar's presence. I decided to follow it before it went away. I found him and extracted him. I thought of calling for backup, but that might have tipped Slade off. I know there was some risk, but I felt it was worth it."

Dick shook his head dismissively. "You and I need to talk … later."

"I don't need your permission to do anything." She snapped back at him.

"I thought we were a team." Grayson replied.

"Yeah … we'll talk about that … later." She replied in her monotone.

Cassie turned and whispered into Robin's ear: "Oh oh, trouble in paradise already?"

Tim snorted. "No one thought they would last, but I sure wasn't expecting it to fall apart already." He whispered back.

Cyborg heaved an exasperated sigh. "OK, y'all. BB's safe and there was no harm done … speaking of harm, how's your leg?"

"It's fine. Raven healed it."

"That was a big wound." Superboy remarked.

"Are you OK, Raven?" Grayson asked with a hint of concern in his voice.

"I'll be fine; I just need to have a healing trance." She remarked as she drew her cape around herself, hiding the transferred wound.

"OK then … pleasant dreams everyone. We'll meet tomorrow and have Raven and BB debrief us. I'm sure Slade already moved out of his lair, so there's no point in going back there …" Cyborg yawned "Good night."

The three rookies were the first to leave. Starfire and Changeling left together, which did not go unnoticed by the cheaters.

"Is something going on between them?" Grayson asked.

Cyborg frowned. "They're really good friends, in case you forgot … not that you have any right to complain if there was anything going on between them, you threw Star away like she was a piece of trash just because she couldn't satisfy you … though they are going out on a date this Saturday, not that it's any of your business."

The tin man turned and began to walk away.

"A date?" Raven asked. "You mean a real date?"

Without stopping he replied. "Yup, an honest to goodness date … and if you ask me … it's about damn time they went out on one. Good night."

The sliding doors closed behind the cybernetic Titan, leaving Grayson and Raven alone in the common room. There was a long silent pause before either of them spoke. Finally, Raven broke the silence.

"I'm going to the infirmary to heal. I'll see you in the morning."

"You aren't coming back with me to our room?" He asked.

"No." She replied curtly as she limped away. "I'd prefer some solitude right now."

"I'll come with you." He volunteered.

"Thanks, but I know my way to the infirmary. I lived here 10 years, remember?"

She walked away without saying another word.

_**-( scene break )-**_

Raven glided the rest of the way to the infirmary, as it helped with the throbbing pain in her leg. Once she arrived she found her old med station, which Cyborg had yet to remove. She removed her cape and draped it over a chair. She examined the wound on her leg, which already begun to heal, and cringed at its gruesomeness. She climbed into the bed and closed her eyes as she began to recite her mantra.

The infirmary around her faded away and she suddenly found herself standing on a floating rock, surrounded by a dark sky filled with eerie red stars. She was home … she was in Nevermore.

At first she was alone and she walked absentmindedly, merely killing time while her body healed. She passed through different landscapes in her mind: sea side, mountains, deserts, forests, etc. until she arrived in one that even for her was unexpected.

She was suddenly in the Temple in Azarath. Lined up along the raised altar area were dozens of her emoticlones, all gazing down upon her. The throng parted and Raven saw the yellow clad emoticlone, Knowledge, emerge and she walked down the steps to join her master.

"What is this?" Raven asked her.

"A council … we have all gathered to review and discuss our situation." Knowledge replied.

"We know what the situation is … Gar won't take me back … he doesn't trust me. And to make matters worse, he's going to start dating Starfire."

"They aren't soul mates." The yellow clad Raven reassured her. "He is your soul mate."

"A lot of good that did me. I betrayed him, and for what, an emotionally constipated friend who only wants to have sex and can't bring himself to tell me that he loves me? I still don't understand why I did this."

"The answer is rather simple, Raven." A husky voice interrupted. "I did it."

Raven knew who it was, she didn't have to turn around to be certain, but she did anyway. It was a four eyed emoticlone wearing a crimson red hood and cape.

"Why?" Raven asked.

Rage grinned, exposing her razor sharp, serrated teeth.

"I got bored with Gar."

"Bored? You got bored with him?"

Rage continued grinning as she walked around her master.

"Don't get me wrong Raven, Gar's good. He has a huge dick and he knows how to use it. Why do you think we stuck around with him for so long? But he started becoming routine … you know, we were settling in with that intimacy crap. That's Love's domain, I could care less about that stuff … if I was in charge we'd fuck a different guy every night … who needs intimacy? Unfortunately, I don't run this show, but I can influence you."

"So you're saying that we did it just for a cheap thrill?"

Rage laughed. "Oh, I wouldn't call it cheap; you paid for it, dearly. But admit it; Grayson knows how to make love to a lady."

"You aren't a lady." Raven snapped.

"And apparently, neither are you. Admit it Raven, you like fucking Grayson … you enjoy casual sex, and you're a perfect friend with benefits."

"That's not true. I didn't enjoy having sex with Dylan or Garth."

"Only because Love and Guilt got in the way … Raven … listen to me. You're wasting your time trying to win him back. You don't even want to be monogamous. And you're also wasting your time with Grayson. He can be a good friend with benefits, but leave him at that. He doesn't really want a long term relationship and neither should you. Sure, you can fight crime with him … but don't live with him, get your own place and sleep with all the guys you'd like … you know that's what you want."

Raven bi her lip, clearly jarred by what she had just heard.

"I'll admit, there is a certain allure to what you're saying, but it's not what I want. I want my Gar back, I want him to hold me, kiss me, to tell me that he loves me …"

Rage waved her hand dismissively. "Too late for that, girl. My advice now is to bag as many guys as you can. Trust me, it'll be fun."

Knowledge stepped forward, cutting off the crimson emoticlone.

"You have had your say, time to step aside, Rage. Others wish to speak." She intervened.

Rage began to fade away. "Think about it Raven … you know where to find me."

Two emoticlones stepped forward from the crowd. Raven immediately recognized the color of their capes: It was Happiness and Llove. Much to her consternation they both looked somewhat forlorn.

"I don't need you to tell me that I'm not happy and that I'm unfulfilled with love."

Love lowered her pink hood. "Then you must correct the situation."

"You know well that I asked him to take me back. And you also know what his answer was: That it's over, the end of the road."

"He still loves us, Raven." Love remarked in a low, soft voice.

"But he doesn't trust me anymore … it's hopeless." Raven winced.

Knowledge adjusted her glasses before clearing her throat. "You need to regain his trust."

"I'm not sure that's possible … perhaps … I should just move on and forget about him."

"We will never forget about him." Love interjected.

"You must try to regain his trust." Happiness added.

"How? By saving him? That worked the first time, the second time, not so much."

"You will need to be patient." Knowledge chided her. "Yes, the old techniques won't work. You're going to have to show him that you've changed, and that will take time."

"Has it occurred to you that we don't have time? He's already starting to date again."

"He is dating the princess, nothing will come of that. He's always been in her 'friend box', and it will stay that way. They are merely seeking consolation with each other, and that will pass. She is in love with Grayson. You should give him back to her." Love remarked.

"What if Gar dates someone else? And for the record, Dick isn't mine to give … I don't own him … he's not even my boyfriend."

"They what is he?" Knowledge asked. "I recall that he has said that you are a couple."

"You don't need to ask that question, you know perfectly well what he is. He's my fuck buddy. As for us being a 'couple', that won't last long without sex."

Knowledge indicated her agreement with a nod.

"Raven … your body has finished healing … before you leave; I have some final words for you: Follow your heart. You are right in that the odds are stacked against you, heavily. You are almost certain to fail, but if you do not try to reconcile with him, you will regret it for the rest of your life. And even if you only recover his friendship, at least you will have that."

Raven opened her eyes and slowly sat up. While her leg was still sore, the wound on her leg was gone.

The self inflicted wound in her heart, that was still there, hurting as much as ever.

_**-( scene break )-**_

Cyborg was humming happily to himself in the kitchen, mixing up some waffle batter when the sliding doors opened.

"Well, good morning little lady. You're up early … let's take a look at that wound."

The tin man knelt down next to his gray friend and examined the red welt on her thigh with his cybernetic eye, which whirred as it telescoped out of his eye socket.

"Not bad, there's almost no burned tissue left. No visible scarring either. You've still got the Midas touch, girl."

He stood back up and smiled at her. "Want some breakfast? I can make anything you want. I was just making waffles, scrambled eggs and sausage."

She gave him a small smile. "That would be nice. Is there any tea?"

"There's a whole box of that Irish breakfast tea that you like in the cupboard. No one else here drinks tea, the box is still unopened."

Raven opened the cupboard and next to a huge jar of Nutella that was labeled with a marker pen: "Gar's Nutella! Hands off!" was the box of tea. She tore the cellophane wrapper off the box, opened it and inhaled the comforting aroma that rose from the container. She closed her eyes and for a brief moment she was in the past, before all of the unfortunate events had transpired.

"Thanks for saving it for me." She murmured as she pulled out her old electric kettle and began to boil some water. A few minutes later she had a teapot full of steaming hot breakfast tea. She brought it to the table as Cyborg was dishing up breakfast. They both sat down and began to eat. They didn't chat for a while, until Raven cleared her throat.

"Victor, thanks for not giving me the cold shoulder after all that happened."

He poked at a sausage link with his fork before answering.

"Raven, you'll always be my friend, my little sister … no matter what you do."

Her expression suddenly soured. "So I was wrong, you do judge me."

He put his fork down. "I don't like what you did, not one bit. But that doesn't mean I stopped loving or caring about you."

"I really fucked up, didn't I?" She grimaced.

Yeah … you did, big time. I still don't understand why you did it. Weren't you happy with the green bean?"

"I was … I asked him to marry me."

"So why then? Raven, what you did … that was incredibly stupid. What motivated you to do that?"

"My nature." She whispered.

"Really? The devil made you do it?"

Raven sighed. "In my case, yes, though it was my own personal devil."

He pushed his half eaten meal away.

"OK, I've been inside your head and I know what you're up against. But really, you couldn't resist?"

"Had it been someone other than Dick, I might have been able to remain faithful. We both knew there was a problem, it's why Dick decided to quit the team and go the Bludhaven and do the solo thing."

Cyborg shook his head. "You guys decided to have a fling, so you wouldn't be left wondering what it might have been like? That's what he told me."

She nodded. "I know, that was a stupid idea."

"Girl … that was idiotic … dammit Raven, you were engaged … what were you thinking?"

She shook her head. "I guess I wasn't."

"Yeah … you didn't, which is so unlike you." He sighed. "So, how are things going on in Bludhaven?"

She shrugged. "It's mostly petty crime, Dick and I have been on a few stake outs."

"That's not what I meant."

She shrunk into her chair. "I know."

He didn't say anything, but merely arced an eyebrow.

"Victor … I've been wondering …" She paused and traced her finger on the table top before continuing. "Would it be possible for me to come back to the Tower?"

He nodded, with a knowing look on his face. "I knew that you and Nightwing wouldn't last, but I thought it would have been longer … look … you never officially quit the team. He did, but you didn't. You're still a Titan and this is still your home, you don't need anyone's permission to come back … however …"

"So there is a problem?"

He shrugged. "Well … not really a problem, but … do you think it's a good idea to come back? I know what you're thinking Raven, that if you're here you can show him that you've changed and win him back."

"So you think I'm going to fail, that I'm wasting my time?"

"I never said that … but … things might not turn out the way you're hoping they will. What happens if he gets a new girlfriend and she moves in with him? Do you think you'll be able to handle that?"

She winced. "I hadn't thought about that."

"It could lead to some really awkward moments. Imagine how that girl will feel, knowing that you, his former lover of five years, lives under the same roof."

"I don't really care how this fictitious woman would feel."

"And what if she becomes not so fictitious? What if BB moves out with her to get away from you?"

"I see your point." She frowned unhappily.

"So, do you really want to break up with Nightwing?"

"All we do together is fight crime and have sex."

"So … you're ready to dump him?"

"We … becoming a couple … that was never the plan. We were going to have the fling and then say goodbye. I was going to marry Gar and be faithful to him from then on."

Cyborg frowned at her. "Fidelity isn't something you flip on and off like a switch. Either you're faithful or you're not."

"That's not what Rita said." She remarked meekly.

"Rita is a Hollywood slut who can't even remember all the guys she's slept with." He snorted. "You should have known better than listen to her. You're gonna have a hell of a time convincing BB that he can trust you again. Plus having sex with a close friend of his … shit … you just don't do that, girl, you don't. That hurts even more than if it had been with a stranger."

"And you know this … how?"

"First hand experience, before my accident. I didn't forgive her, Raven, and I still haven't."

She bowed her head. "So you're saying I should stay away?"

"No, I'm not saying that at all. If you're really gonna dump Grayson the last thing you need is to be alone. This is your home and I'm your brother. I actually like the idea of you coming back. I miss you and I want you to be happy. If I had a magic wand I'd undo everything that's happened, cuz I want to see you and the grass stain back together, I think you belong together."

He tapped his fingers on the table top.

"But I don't harbor any false illusions. BB isn't going to welcome you back with open arms, he might even be hostile to your return, not that he has any say in the matter. Of course he could move out of the Tower."

He smiled at his grey friend. "Anyway … what I'm trying to say is … welcome home, Raven."

_**-( scene break )-**_

Grayson, dressed in gym shorts, a tank top and sweating like a pig, was completing his usual 90 minute morning workout. He missed the Tower's gym, the makeshift one he had setup in the loft in Bludhaven was pathetic in comparison. He was finishing up doing some roundhouse kicks on a dummy when he sensed a presence. He quickly spun around, ready to meet the intruder with a fighting stance.

"Don't you ever turn off?" She asked him in her signature monotone.

Nightwing relaxed and dropped his guard. "Some of us don't have super powers so we always have to be ready… speaking of powers … how is your leg?"

She parted her cape, revealing her gray thigh. "I'm fine."

"Good, once I've showered I'll contact the Watchtower and have them teleport us home, our business here is done." He announced as he resumed kicking the padded dummy.

"Dick … I'm … I'm not going back with you."

Grayson slipped, lost his footing and fell. "What? You're not coming home?"

"Bludhaven isn't my home."

He quickly hopped back onto his feet. "So where are you going? Back to Azarath?"

"I'm no allowed to go back there. I can visit, but that's it."

"Really?"

"Yes. I left without permission and I was banished. My mother negotiated to allow me to visit, but that's it."

He nodded his head. "So why are you leaving? Is it anything I did"

"You know why. We aren't a couple; we're friends, good friends who have allowed their friendship to be defined by sex. I don't want that, I want more than that."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Then let's be more than that."

"We've been trying that, Dick. You tell me, have we become more than just bed buddies? Don't get me wrong, the sex has been great … but it's not enough. I want more than that."

"I want to be more than bed buddies. I don't want us to just be friends with benefits." He replied. "I want a girlfriend."

She gave him a dark look. "I don't want to be a replacement for her … because I can't."

"You aren't a replacement for Starfire."

"You used to do things with her. You'd go out with her. Picnics, movies, restaurants. You took her to Cancun and Fiji. You'd watch TV together. You'd talk with her."

He dropped his head. "I know … I've neglected you. Raven … I do love you; it's just that things have been so hectic since we moved to Bludhaven and …"

"And that won't change. You would have made time for her, you would have. Come on, face it, we made a huge mistake. We had a great intellectual and platonic relationship, a very intimate one. After Gar, you were my dearest friend, so much so that I foolishly fell in love with you. I already lost the love of my life; I don't want to also lose my best friend, trading him for a fuck buddy, do you?"

He grimaced. "No. I don't want that."

"Go back to her. Tell her you're sorry."

"I can't do that. I've already burned my bridges with her. She'll never forgive me for ruining your life with Garfield."

"Dick, don't take it personally, I'm staying here. I talked with Cyborg and he says that I'm still a Titan and I can come back. I'm serious … I'm not going back with you."

He gave her an unhappy look.

"It's kind of hard to not take it personally. I've never been dumped before, and coming from you … it hurts … it hurts a lot, because you're right, we do have a special bond." He remarked. "I guess I had it coming."

"You did have it coming … though I'm sorry I hurt you, will you be alright?"

"Does it matter? I suppose that I'll move on. I guess I've learned something about myself … I'm no good at being in a relationship. I'm too self centered."

"You are, but you're also good looking and charming, I'm sure you won't have any trouble finding pretty girls willing to have sex with you … heck, you got me, an engaged woman, into your bed. You'll do just fine Dick Grayson; I won't shed any tears for you. I wish it could be that easy for me."

Raven turned and walked out of the gym. As she left she crossed paths with the changeling.

"Good morning." She greeted him.

"Hey." He replied without making eye contact with her as she exited the room.

The changeling paused when he saw Grayson in the room. Suddenly a very palpable tension filled the air and the two men lock eyes with each other.

"I'm done, I was just leaving. The gym's all yours." Dick announced as he grabbed his towel and flung it over his shoulder.

"You aren't going anywhere," The changeling growled at him.

Grayson's shoulders slumped. "Gar … please believe me, I'm really sorry."

"You're sorry? You seduced with my girl … my fiancée … how could you do that to me? You're supposed to be my friend."

Nightwing raised his hands in an apologetic gesture.

"Gar, believe it or not … it was about us. It wasn't about you."

With animal fast reflexes the changeling punched Grayson in the face, sending him tumbling onto the floor.

"Not about me!? You fucking asshole … she was my fiancée. Of course it was about me, how could I not take it personally? You couldn't have said 'fuck you' to me more loudly than that!"

Grayson got up, rubbing the black eye forming on his face. "We never meant to hurt you. Raven really wanted to marry you. You have no idea of how much she loves you."

"SHUT UP!"

"No! You listen to me, Garfield! Yeah, I was selfish, I wanted to sleep with her before I left for Bludhaven and yes, it was supposed to be a secret. But it's not her fault. She was confused and her demon side was acting up. I know her almost as well as you do, in some ways I know her better than you do, so I took advantage of her."

"Yeah, I know, you stole her from me. What's your fucking point?"

"She just dumped me. She wants you to take her back, did you know that?"

Changeling scowled furiously at his former friend.

"I do. She asked me to take her back last night … actually, she begged me."

"She didn't tell me that. What did you tell her?"

"What do you think? I said no."

Grayson frowned. "Are you stupid? Take her back for goodness sake. You guys belong together."

"I used to believe that, but not anymore."

"Why, because she's had sex with other guys?"

"No … because she had sex with YOU. Because you went behind my back and stole the only thing that was precious to me."

"I didn't steal her from you! I only wanted a roll in the hay with her. Get over it! This isn't the nineteenth century anymore."

Gar took another swing at Grayson, who deflected it and returned a thrust side kick to his abdomen, sending the changeling tumbling and knocking his wind out.

"Remember the first rule of fighting I taught you? Always keep your cool when fighting … I let you hit me the first time, I know I deserved it. But don't think for a second I'm going to let you beat me up."

Garfield rose to his feet with a murderous look in his eyes. "When I'm done with you Grayson, you'll wish you had never been born."

Nightwing glared back at him. "Bring it on, loser, I taught you everything you know. When I'm done with you, you'll know why I was able to get her to spread her legs wide for me."

As soon as Grayson said those words, he regretted them, and not just because he was gloating to a friend about seducing his fiancée. A shiver ran down Dick's spine when he saw Garfield's eyes become solid white, with no pupils. He had seen that once before, years ago in the infirmary. His first instinct was to bolt, to escape. He didn't have his utility belt with him and was thus unarmed. The changeling was blocking the exit and was quickly growing, transforming into a creature that Grayson had never been able to subdue by himself.

Nightwing swallowed hard as the Beast suddenly towered over him. The creature threw its head back and emitted a deafening roar.

_I am so fucked._

The Beast's first action was to close the gym's doors and barricade them with some heavy equipment. It then turned towards Grayson and grinned maliciously.

"OK, Gar … you made your point … you're the bigger man … you win."

The Beast slowly approached him, backing him into a corner, slowly shaking its head. It wanted its pound of flesh and it wouldn't be satisfied until it got it.

"Gar, don't do something you'll regret later … I'm sorry, I really am. I'll make it up to you, I swear."

The Beast wasn't buying it, which meant that Nightwing was left with a single choice: to fight for his life. He took the initiative and leaped into the air, spinning while aiming a heel kick to the green leviathan's head. The Beast caught his leg and threw him, slamming him into a wall. Grayson saw stars and prepared himself for what he expected to be a follow up strike while he was unable to fully defend himself. The strike did not come, and when his vision cleared he saw that the Beast was waiting for him to recover.

_He's toying with me. Hey, I can play too._

Dick feigned a sweep kick at the Beast's legs, but at the last moment changed directions as he dropped to the floor and kicked up; hitting furry Gar in the chin. The Beast groaned but did not even stagger. Grayson was in an awkward position and was unable to dodge the haymaker that hit him, which sent him reeling. As he did a few weeks before, he spat out a couple of teeth. The implant dentist was going to make a lot of money off of Grayson, assuming he could get out of this alive.

Still unable to escape he struck back again. As before, it was utterly futile. The Beast was far faster and stronger than he remembered in the past and he had no weapons. It wasn't looking good.

With no warning, the Beast suddenly went on the offensive, leaping around the room with lighting like speed, striking at a hapless Nightwing with every pass. After the umpteenth hit he started coughing up blood.

"Gar … you win … please … stop." A supine Grayson raised his hand, pleading for his life.

The Beast lowered his head to Dick's face and snorted, steaming his vision. Dick was panting, exhausted and hurt, no longer even able to try to defend himself. The green giant grabbed Grayson by his tattered shirt and raised his prey, ready to deliver the coup d' grace. He stopped when he heard a familiar hum. The equipment barricading the door was enveloped in dark energy and shoved aside. Raven flew into the room.

"Gar! Stop! You aren't a killer."

The Beast turned to face the sorceress.

"The man I fell in love with would never harm a fly. I know you're angry and hurt, but you don't want to do this, it's not who you are."

The Beast locked eyes with Raven and after a long moment it tossed Grayson's limp form aside like a rag doll and it morphed back into his human form and slowly staggered away from her, walking backwards until his back hit a wall. He slumped against it and slid to the floor until he was sitting on it. He began to weep, his whole body shaking as he sobbed. Raven wrapped her arms around him and also began to cry.

"I'm so, so sorry Gar." She wept as the others arrived.

Cyborg shook his head sadly before he quietly picked Grayson up and nodded at the others to follow him. Starfire hesitated, but did not follow the others to the infirmary. Instead she knelt down next to her gray and green friends and wrapped her arms around them.

_**-( scene break )-**_

That was a long chapter. I hope you enjoyed it.

Note: Raven was indeed banished from Azarath for leaving in the comics.


	29. Garfield's Amazing Junk

Starfire released her friends from her embrace and sat back on the floor, facing them. The changeling pushed Raven away from him. They were no longer weeping but they were both puffy eyed.

"Friends, what happened?"

Gar rubbed his eyes as he answered her question.

"I finally confronted him over what he did."

"You were going to kill him." Raven interrupted.

"It didn't start out that way."

"But it ended up that way."

He glared at her.

"He said that I was blowing things out of proportion, that he "only" wanted a one night stand with you and that I should somehow be OK with that. He also said that I should take you back, since you dumped him."

"He did?"

"Don't get your hopes up." He replied in a defiant tone. "But that wasn't all. He challenged me, claiming that I couldn't take him, that he was more of a man than me …"

Raven face palmed.

"He said that's why he was able to get you to sleep with him … he kicked me and knocked my wind out … and that's about when I lost it."

"I understand, but I couldn't allow you to kill him."

"That is twice that you've saved him … Star and I both owe you one."

Raven looked like she was about to cry again. "No, this happened because of me. You don't owe me anything, had either of you killed him in your fury, it would have been on my hands, I would have been the one responsible for his death."

He shook his head. "No, he had it coming. You might have said yes, but he's the one who seduced you … so … did you really dump him?"

"Yes … I did."

"Serves him right … so why did you dump your boyfriend?"

"He was never my boyfriend … you're my boyfriend."

"Was." He snapped as he corrected her. "So if you and Nightscum aren't sleeping together anymore, where are you gonna be hanging your cape now?"

Starfire noticed that Raven slightly tensed up upon hearing his question.

"Ummm … I'm … coming back here."

He did a double take. "You're what? Says who?"

"Cyborg says that since I never officially quit the team, I can come back any time I want."

He glared at her. "Is this some kind of joke? Why the hell are you coming here of all places?"

"This is my home."

"If you think that you're gonna win me back, you couldn't be more wrong … "

"Right now I'd settle for being your friend again."

He shook his head. "You're asking for a lot, you do know that, don't you?"

"I know … but … I can be patient."

"You do know that Star and I are going out on a date?"

The princess beamed upon hearing his words.

"Yes, I have heard … and I promise to not interfere."

He heaved and exasperated groan.

"Raven … this is going to be really awkward … I don't feel comfortable with you coming back … isn't there someplace else you could go? How about Titans East?"

"Bumblebee won't even talk to me. And even if she would, Aqualad's moved back in."

"He could be your new boyfriend."

Tears welled in her eyes. "Since when are you so cruel?"

"Since you became a double crossing slut and cheated on me." He went in for the coup d' grace.

"Enough! Friends do not speak to each other like this!" Starfire shrieked.

"She's not my friend." He replied in an ice cold voice.

"You are wrong. She is no longer the girlfriend, but she is still your friend. She rescued you from Slade, or have you forgotten?"

"You haven't told Cyborg or anyone else about your new girlfriend yet, have you?" Raven growled.

Starfire's eyes popped open wide. "Girlfriend? You have a new girlfriend? How can this be? Are we not going out on a date this Saturday?"

"Don't listen to her, Star. I don't have a girlfriend. And I already told Cy about her."

"I do not understand." Starfire replied in a perplexed voice.

"Allow me." Raven interrupted. "When I rescued him, he was making out with a girl …"

"I already told you, it was an act. I was doing that to protect Terra …"

"Terra doesn't need protection … go ahead Gar, tell her who you were kissing. At let me tell you Starfire, he looked like he was enjoying it."

"Shut your stupid mouth, Raven. Haven't you given me enough grief already? If you're really trying to win me back, this isn't gonna work, I guarantee it."

The sorceress flinched upon hearing his words and fell silent. Unfortunately Starfire's curiosity had been piqued.

"Garfield, who is this woman whom you had to kiss to protect Terra? And why does Terra need protecting?"

The changeling sighed and turned towards Raven. "Thanks a lot." He said in a voice dripping with sarcasm.

He turned back to Starfire. "Her name is Rose … she's … she's Slade's daughter."

The princess squeaked a loud "eep". "Garfield, you cannot be serious? Slade has a daughter and you were kissing her when Raven rescued you?"

"She said that unless I did what she asked that she would have Terra and her husband killed."

The princess frowned. "That is most dishonorable of her … I wish to meet this Rose and teach her a lesson … tell me, is she attractive or is she the ugly?"

The changeling looked at Raven out of the corner of his eye. To the untrained eye her expression looked blank, but he could tell that she was dying to hear his response to Starfire's question.

"She … uh … she only has one eye, she wears an eye patch over her left eye." He pointed at his own left eye.

"Otherwise she's more beautiful than you and I combined." Raven blurted.

"Didn't I tell you to be quiet?" He hissed at her before turning back to Starfire. "She's not my girlfriend … I don't have a girlfriend … though … I am looking for a new girlfriend." He wagged his eyebrows at her.

The princess giggled. "Are you not getting ahead of yourself? We have not yet been out on our first date."

He grinned. "Our first date will go down in the history books as the greatest first date ever."

"Is that a promise?" She asked in a coy voice.

He leaned over and gently kissed her on the lips. "I guarantee it, it will be 'glorious', to coin a phrase."

Raven did a slow burn in her gut upon seeing them kiss, but her face did not betray her feelings.

"Star, you have breakfast yet? Let's go to Casa de Waffles."

Without even acknowledging the sorceress, they held hands and left together. Raven raised her hand, ready to ask if she could come along with them, but it was clear they didn't want any company. She dropped her hand and frowned.

"OK … so I have my work cut out for me … I've been in tighter spots before … well, maybe not this tight." Raven murmured to herself

_**-( scene break )-**_

Grayson groaned as he woke up. His mouth felt as if it had been hit with a brick and he could still taste the metallic flavor of blood in his mouth. He opened his eyes and saw that he was in the Tower's infirmary.

"So I'm not dead?"

"You would be dead, had Raven not saved your sorry ass a second time." Cyborg responded from an unseen section of the infirmary.

"She saved me?"

"Yeah, not that you deserved it." He replied as he approached Nightwing's med station.

Nightwing sat up, rubbing his head. "Gar attacked me."

"You provoked him. What the hell is wrong with you? You practically said that you had a right to mess with his woman. Do you have a death wish or something? And don't deny it; it's recorded on the security footage."

"He didn't have the right to kill me. He tried to murder me. I want him arrested."

"Dream on, boy blunder, plus you wouldn't be able to find a jury that would convict him ... Seriously? Not the nineteenth century anymore?"

"She was still legally single and available …"

Cyborg snorted at the remark. "You want some advice? Don't mess around with another guy's woman, even if they aren't married yet! I don't care if you're in love with her or not. And I don't care if it's the 30th century either."

"I told him to take her back."

"Too late for that … do you ever think about anyone besides yourself?"

"What the hell are you talking about? I do it all the time. I'm a hero; I'm the leader of the Titans."

"You were the leader, as in past tense. You officially resigned from the team, remember? And, you are self centered … it's always about you."

"That's a load of crap."

"Is it? Let me jog your memory. Your obsession with Slade, where you shut us out The Red X suit and how you didn't tell us about it. When you ran off on a wild goose chase to train with the True Master, and then you ran off to Bludhaven to play the solo hero, need I say more?"

"I've put my life on the line for the city and for each one of you."

"And there was the time you hallucinated with Slade and locked us in the infirmary and the time when you falsely accused BB of hurting Raven."

"I seem to recall you were on board with that."

"Because you misled us."

"So, that's your excuse for taking my place as leader."

"You RESIGNED! You went to Bludhaven, and you took your friend's fiancée with you."

"Hey, he dumped her! And if she chose to not be faithful to him then she never really was his to begin with."

"She's begging him to take her back … have you no shame about what you did?"

"I didn't do anything wrong."

Cyborg frowned at Grayson. "That does it! You're banished from the Tower."

"You can't banish me. I built this Tower!"

"Correction … we all built it and it ours. It's not yours anymore; you lost your share when you quit the team."

"So you're kicking me out, just like that?"

"That's right, and don't ever show your face here again."

Dick snorted. "Fine, I'll leave as soon as I recover."

"You're leaving now."

"Now?"

"Yes now, I've made arrangements."

"Arrangements, where and with who?"

Cyborg tapped on his ear piece.

_This is the Watchtower._

"Nightwing's ready to teleport. He still needs medical attention." Cyborg replied.

"You're sending me to the Watchtower? They're gonna eat me alive!"

Cyborg smirked. "I thought you didn't do anything wrong, that this was the 21st century."

The tin man tapped his earpiece a second time. "He's all yours, Watchtower."

"No, wait, just give me …"

Grayson shimmered and vanished before he could finish speaking. Cyborg grinned. "Wonder Woman and Hawk Girl are so gonna ream his ass."

_**-( scene break )-**_

_That night at dinner …_

Cyborg entered the common room, carrying a stack of pizza boxes, which he plopped down on the table. Starfire and Changeling were already seated and were chatting happily. Robin, Superboy and Cassie shut off the TV and bounded to the table.

"All right! Pizza!" Connor cheered as he slid into his chair.

The superheroes began to dish up the pizza when Raven entered the room. Their banter fell silent as the three rookies refocused their attention on the sorceress. The three mentors also fell silent, until Cyborg cleared his throat.

"OK … since we're all together now, I have an official announcement to make. Effective today Raven is returning to the Tower and will be joining our team of mentors. Also, we have two new rookies who will be joining us next week: Miss Martian and a speedster known as Impulse. The five of you will be the new Teen Titans when your training is complete."

Raven quietly sat down next to Starfire.

"Raven, care to share any words with the scrubs?"

The sorceress pursed her lips, and then emitted a quiet sigh before speaking.

"I can tell by the looks on your faces that you are familiar with my scandalous behavior and probably even gossip about it. I am hoping that you will refrain from discussing my private life, at least in my presence, now that I will be living here. I am here on a professional basis as a Titan. I will do my best to help train you and prepare you to become this city's new protectors. You seem to be a fine group of young superheroes and I expect that you will do just fine when you take over for us. Welcome to the team."

She then reached over and helped herself to some pizza. The tension in the air was palpable and no one seemed eager to break the new silence and the assembled team simply munched on their pizza. After what felt like a brief eternity Cassie broke the ice.

"Hey Changeling, where are you and Starfire going out on your date?" She asked.

"We are going to do the ball room dancing at the Ritz Carlton!" Starfire answered.

"I didn't know that you knew how to ballroom dance." Raven asked in a flat voice.

"Oh yes, Robin … I mean Nightwing, taught me many years ago, after the prom on the cruise ship, though we never went dancing again after that."

"It's gonna be really cool." Gar jumped in. "There's gonna be a really nice dinner and we'll be dressed up really cool in fancy clothes. Since Star is a princess she's gonna wear a real diamond tiara I borrowed from Rita. It's gonna be a blast, we're really looking forward to it. Plus we get to break in my new car."

"You have a new car?" Raven asked.

Cyborg guffawed. "Mento bought him a brand new BMW, a nice one too, not one of those 3 series models."

Raven turned towards Garfield and glared. "You never took me dancing."

"Uh … you hate dancing … and you never wanted to go out with me anyways."

The three trainees snickered. Raven glared at them and they stopped.

"You never asked … maybe I would have said yes."

"I offered to teach you how to dance, remember? You said that dancing was pointless, so why would have I ever asked you to go dancing? And why are you complaining? We aren't a couple anymore, remember?"

The three rookies kept straight faces, but Raven could sense their nearly uncontainable amusement. She grabbed a few more slices of pizza and dropped them on her plate. She then got up.

"Since all of you think that my misfortune is something to laugh about, I will eat my dinner in my room."

She phased into the floor and disappeared. As soon as she was gone the three rookies burst out laughing.

_**-( scene break )-**_

Raven sat down at her desk with an unhappy look on her face.

_I made a fool of myself, in front of a bunch of kids._

She picked up a slice of pizza. Though she was hungry she had lost all her appetite and tossed the wedge back onto the plate. She leaned forward and cradled her head with her hands when there was a knock on her door.

"Go away!" She shouted.

"It's me." Cyborg replied.

"I'm sorry … it's open."

The tin man entered, carrying a bottle of cola with him. "I brought you something to drink with your pizza."

"Thanks … you were right … this is going to be a challenge."

"I hate to say it, but … I told you so."

"None of the kids respects me. Do they know about …"

"The beach? No, no one's told them … but they aren't stupid. They know you were engaged to BB and then ran off with Nightwing and that we were all pissed with you. You don't need to be a genius to figure out what happened."

"This … dating Starfire thing … is this for real? Or is he just trying to get back at me?"

"Seems genuine to me, though you might want to ask him yourself … Raven … would you like some friendly, brotherly advice?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I guess."

"You need to see other people. Get out there and date."

She stifled a laugh. "And how am I supposed to do that? How am I supposed to meet anyone? I'm Jump City's celebrity cheater. Every guy I go out with is gonna expect me to put out."

"No they won't. Why don't you start at the Sartre Café?"

"Yeah, so I can join Derek's friends with benefits club."

"OK, so you don't date. Just find someone to hang out with. You don't have to sleep with him."

"If I do that, could you make me some holorings?"

He shook his head. "Bad idea, girl. They need to like you for who you are."

"I don't like myself for who I am."

Cyborg pursed his lips. "I … was wondering about that."

"And don't tell me you can fix that, because you can't." She whimpered as she wiped away a stray tear with her sleeve.

He nodded. "You're right, I can't help you there, but I know someone who can."

He handed her a business card. It read:

Steven Dunn LSW

Licensed Therapist

(888) 555-1212

"A shrink?" She asked.

"He's good. Remember when we met? I wasn't too crazy about myself back then. I thought I was a monster; I couldn't stand being in my own skin, at least what I had left of it. Anyway, he really helped me figure things out. I won't pretend that I'm all peachy with how I am now and that I wouldn't give it all up to be normal again, but I don't hate myself anymore."

She pouted as she looked at the card. "This isn't gonna be easy."

"It's not easy, at least not the first step. Once you start seeing him, that'll change."

"Who knows … maybe Gar will …"

"No." Cyborg interrupted. "You're not doing this for him. You're doing it for yourself. Whether or not you win him back later is another matter, it has nothing to do with this."

"You seem to know a lot about this."

"I should … I lost my girlfriend after the accident. I went into the therapy hoping that I would change enough to win her back. Steve helped me understand that winning her back wasn't my goal, and it's a good thing that I did figure it out. She wound up marrying another guy."

"I'm sorry to hear that. You never told us."

He made a dismissive gesture with his hand. "They divorced after a year … last I heard she moved to Gotham with her new boyfriend. I'm better off without her. Anyway, I'm just trying to point out why you need to do this for yourself."

"Thank you, Victor. I will give him a call, I promise."

"You won't regret it." He replied as he looked at her heaping plate of pizza. "Say, you aren't gonna eat all that, are you?"

Raven smiled as she handed him a slice of pizza.

_**-( scene break )-**_

_Later that evening …_

Starfire and the changeling were strolling down the hallway laughing.

"Who would have thought you were so good at Mega Monkeys? I won't forget the look on Chrome Dome's face when you beat him 10 times in a row. It was even funnier when he stormed off, grumbling about needing to recalibrate his hands or something."

"It was very fun, though you did not become upset when I also defeated you many times."

"I'm used to losing … it didn't bug me."

"Did you and Raven ever play the video games?"

His smile suddenly vanished. "No, she would say that they were juvenile and stupid, just like me."

The princess's smile also disappeared. "Forgive me for asking that question … it has caused you distress."

He forced a smile and shook his head. "Nah, it just reminded me that Raven and I never really did belong together." His smile suddenly brightened. "You know, when I think about it, I've already had more fun with you than I ever did with her."

They stopped in front of her door. "Good night, Star. Pleasant slorvaks!"

She leaned over and kissed him tenderly on the lips. "I think that I finally understand why humans enjoy the kissing so much. It is most pleasant and intimate when it is done the human way."

The princess vanished into her room, bidding him good night one more time before closing the door. With a big grin on his face he walked down to his room, which he entered as he whistled happily. To his immediate surprise he found that his lights were on.

Even more surprising, he found Raven in his room.

"What are you doing here?" He asked in a stern voice.

"I want to talk with you, in private."

"About what?"

"About Starfire."

"What about her?" He asked in a defensive tone.

"You're dating her to punish me, right?"

He groaned with an exasperated tone.

"Raven, believe it or not, I don't sit up at night trying to figure out ways to get even with you. I forgave you, remember? I'm not even angry with you anymore. But could you please get it through your thick skull that we are not a couple anymore?"

"Then why are you starting to date her?"

"You really want to know why? Because she's fun, happy and I feel great when I'm around her."

"You do know that dating her is pointless?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You can't have sex with her."

"Yes, I'm aware of the anatomical differences."

"So, what's going to happen when the two of you are ready for physical intimacy?"

He glared at her. "I don't see how this is any of your business, unless this is some lame ass reason why you think we should get together again. You really have a problem."

Raven looked away from him. "I know that I have problems … I'm going to see a therapist."

"Really? You are?"

"Yes, I am. Cyborg referred me to one; I already called and made an appointment."

The changeling looked mildly surprised. "Well … that's … great. I'm happy for you; I think it's a good idea."

"This isn't easy for me …"

"I'm proud of you, Raven."

"Thank you … that means a lot to me."

The former couple stood in silence. For about a minute, until he broke the silence.

"I want to show you something."

Raven stifled a gasp as he stripped down to his boxers.

"Now watch carefully." He announced as he began to morph.

When he was done, a green Tamaranian stood before her.

"But, but … you can't morph into other people … you said so yourself years ago."

"Ah, I can't morph into other humans, but Tamaranians aren't humans … they're descended from felines."

She stared at him in disbelief. "So … you're … compatible?"

He dropped his boxers and Raven's eyes boggled at the sight of a perfectly formed Tamaranian penis.

"Fully compatible, should the need ever arise." He replied as he reverted to his human form, while Raven continued to gawk as his manhood.

"You can stop staring, you aren't getting any." He chided her as he pulled his shorts back up. "Now, if you wouldn't mind leaving, I'd like to get some sleep."

Raven left his room, with a stunned look on her face.

"This is bad, this is really bad." She murmured to herself as she slowly walked away.


	30. A Broken Cycle

The pitter patter of rain drops performed their dance against the window in the guest room. Raven stretched as she woke up uncharacteristically late by her usual standards. Due to the inclement weather in the forecast Cyborg had mercifully cancelled that morning's obstacle course training session. After yesterday's less than stellar intro to the extended team she was more than happy to sleep in and avoid, at least for today, having to interact with the rookies.

The guest room of course bore no resemblance to her old room; it was furnished in bright cheerful colors and modern furniture that she didn't really care for. Keeping the curtains closed at least maintained a state of darkness she felt somewhat comfortable with and she would have probably stayed in bed longer had she not had an appointment to keep with Cyborg's former therapist.

The contradiction of her situation did not elude her as she slowly sat up and stretched. She was Raven, daughter of Trigon the Terrible, the mistress of magic, the Gem, perhaps the mightiest of the Titans … and she was dreading her appointment. How was she supposed to bare her soul to a total stranger, a process that could possibly take years to accomplish something useful? It almost seemed like a pointless endeavor, a mission that was doomed to failure. Yet, deep down she knew that Cyborg was right, she couldn't continue living with the self loathing she was constantly experiencing … something had to change.

Her alarm clock indicated that it was just past 9:30 AM and she finally dragged herself out of the bed and into the shower. She twisted the valve on the wall and a hot stream poured out of the shower head and began caressing her gray body with its steady flow of droplets, which accumulated on her violet scalp and began to drip down her face like hot tears.

Gar's little show from the previous night still rattled in her brain. She wasn't scandalized or even surprised that he exposed himself to her. Over the past five years she had seen him naked on countless occasions, she probably knew his body as well as he did. But to see him in the form of a Tamaranian, with that unnaturally long and narrow penis gave her chills. Seeing him in that strange, alien form unnerved her, and not just because of the romantic implications it had with the princess.

Raven shook the thought away and proceeded to complete her morning ablutions. She toweled herself and ran a blow drier through her hair. She then dressed in plain civilian clothes: some jeans, a blouse and a purple hoodie. She examined herself in the mirror and decided that while not perfect that her ensemble would provide her with a modicum of anonymity. She knew that if she showed up at the therapist's office in her Titan's costume that her privacy would be blown and probably be reported on the next broadcast of "Superhero Magazine". She would be damned if Grayson would ever find out that she was seeking mental healthcare, or anyone other than Cyborg for that matter.

The clock indicated that her time to depart was approaching. She arranged with Dr. Dunn to teleport directly into his office's tiny waiting area 5 minutes before the appointment. By that point his previous patient would have already left.

She took a deep breath, mentally preparing herself for the leap into the great unknown she was about to take. It made no sense … all she was going to do was talk with this man … and possibly learn things about herself that not even Nevermore could reveal to her, yet she couldn't remember the last time she felt this scared.

She paced around her room, killing the 10 minutes that remained before her scheduled departure. As she continued pacing she recalled that she had forgotten something. She ran to her duffel bag and opened it, and after briefly rummaging through it she found what she was looking for.

It was a plastic compact which she opened. As she did her eyes opened wide.

"No … it can't be … this must be the wrong one." She gasped to herself.

She resumed rummaging through the duffel bag and upon not finding what she was looking for she turned it upside down, emptying its contents onto the floor. She began to scavenge through them, tossing items aside as a look of panic erupted on her face.

"No … it has to be a mistake …"

She came upon her journal and opened it, frantically flipping through the pages, until she reached the entry from 30 days before today. She had scribbled a small star on that page. Clenching her teeth she punched the floor with her small right fist.

"Shit … dammit!" She cursed as she picked up the compact and her diary. She bolted out of her room, running to the infirmary. Upon entering she dropped the compact and the journal on a table and ran to the supplies cabinets, which she opened and began to rifle through.

"C'mon … there has to be one here somewhere!" She hissed through clenched teeth.

She was so fixated in her search that she didn't notice when Cyborg entered the room. He was about to ask her what was wrong when he saw the compact, which he opened. It contained an empty cartridge that at one time had 28 pills in it. He looked up at her as she continued to search through the cabinets.

"I don't keep any birth control pills here." He announced in a calm voice. "Yours are special anyway, I can call Dr. Midnight and he can send you some. Uh … has your period ended yet? Cuz if it has you'll have to wait until next cycle to restart with the pills."

Raven turned to face him. She looked very distressed.

"I'm late."

He shook his head. "That can't be … you always took them, right?"

Raven collapsed into a nearby chair. "Religiously … I'm looking for a pregnancy test."

He walked over to a desk and pulled a small cardboard box out of a drawer and handed it to her.

"There's no way you're pregnant, you've been taking those pills for years. They've always worked." He remarked, looking clearly bewildered.

Raven ignored him and stepped into the infirmary's restroom, where she remained for several minutes. While waiting for her he picked up her diary, which was open on the page from 28 days earlier. He didn't mean to pry, but the words leaped out at him. It simply said "Today was the last time Gar and I made love."

"Shit" He growled between his own clenched teeth. "Please let it be a false alarm, please." He murmured to whatever higher power might be listening.

The bathroom door opened and Raven emerged. Her face was drenched in tears.

"So … it's positive?"

She nodded, dropping the plastic test receptacle on the floor. Cyborg wrapped his arms around her.

"Raven, when was the last time you made love with BB?"

"The night I cheated on him." She whimpered.

"That was over three weeks ago."

"I know." She choked back a sob.

Cyborg gulped, as his next question wouldn't be easy.

"Did you sleep with anyone else? What I mean is … it was too long ago for it to be BB … is Nightwing the father?"

"He has to be … I haven't slept with anyone else."

Raven pulled away from him and pounded her dark energy encased fist on his desk, demolishing it as she cursed.

"Why? Why him? Dammit! If it was Gar's baby I would be OK, but not Dick's … I don't want to have his child."

A phone built into Cyborg's arm began to ring. He checked the caller ID and saw that it was Dr. Dunn. He answered it.

"She's here Steve … we had a sudden emergency … sorry … she'll reschedule, and don't worry, we'll pay for the no show … bye."

Cyborg turned to his distraught foster sister.

"I have a theory, Raven."

"What do you mean by a theory?"

"I mean why BB didn't knock you up in 5 years and Grayson did in just 3 weeks … I think BB might be shooting blanks. His DNA is so messed up that his swimmers are probably incompatible with you. I'm also guessing that the pills Dr. Midnight's been giving you all these years don't actually work … we'll have to do some tests …"

"Tests? I'm fucking pregnant! What good will they do me now?"

Cyborg suddenly became very grim faced.

"Raven … you know that you do have options."

"Yes … I know … I can have the pregnancy terminated."

"It's either that or give birth and raise this child by yourself … you won't be able to put it up for adoption … it will be one quarter demon … no one will take him or her."

"I know." She replied in a somber voice.

He placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Raven, whatever you decide to do … you have my full support."

She flung her arms around him. "Why is this happening to me?" She whimpered.

He held her gingerly, and kissed the crown of her head.

"I don't know … but I'll help you, no matter what you choose to do. You're my sister and you're not in this alone."

_**-( scene break )-**_

Rose raised razor sharp blade and held it under the bright light, examining its nearly flawless edge. For most swordswomen the blade would have been good enough. But she wasn't most swordswomen; she was Rose Wilson, daughter of Slade Wilson. Nothing short of perfection would be acceptable to her, and she resumed rubbing the sharpening stone against the blade as the sound of a door opening echoed in the room.

Slade entered, carrying a small, ancient looking wooden box. It was ornate, covered in gold lead and adorned with precious gems. He placed on the workbench next to her just as she sheathed her katana.

"Pretty." She remarked in a snarky tone.

"Never judge a book by its cover." He reprimanded her. "The box is not important, it's what's inside that matters."

She opened the lid and looked inside.

"A ring?"

Slade picked up the jewel. The ring itself was golden and mounted on it was a dazzling ruby, which sparkled as if it had a life of its own.

"Rings can possess great power, both real and symbolic. The Green Lantern Corps is powered by their rings. Kings wore rings that symbolized their power, their subjects would kiss the ring when they paid homage to their monarch."

"And what sort of power does this ring have? Real or symbolic?"

"Both." He replied. "It contains the essence of an ancient champion, one who was eventually scorned by the people he once protected. His name had been lost to time. When he could no longer wield his power he transferred it to this ring, which I discovered years ago in Egypt. It also symbolizes the power that was granted to him by the gods themselves."

"Interesting, but what use is it to us?"

He placed the ring on his finger, holding his hand up as he admired it. "I am unable to wield its power, to make it my own as the ring has rejected me as its host."

"So … it's useless, just a pretty bauble." He remarked.

Slade removed the ring from his hand and handed it to her.

"I want you to try it … put it on, don't worry about the size, it will change to fit you."

Rose removed her right glove and slipped the ruby onto her ring finger. At first nothing appeared to happen, that is until a gust of window appeared out of nowhere in the small underground workshop. Rose's platinum blond hair began to flow in the breeze as a greedy smile appeared on her face.

"I see that the ring has chosen to be cooperative with you."

"It has … now I understand everything. I know its secrets."

"Do you know who the ancient champion was?" He asked.

"I do … and the Titans …" She balled her hand into a fist. "… are doomed."

_**-( scene break )-**_

_The next week …_

Nightwing prowled on a rooftop, spying on a group of smugglers who were unloading their shipment of contraband onto the Bludhaven docks. It was a hot, sweltering night and Grayson felt a bead of sweat drip down his nose.

It was his first night on patrol since he was discharged from the Watchtower's infirmary. The medics in the Justice League's orbiting HQ took great care of him, patching his wounds and replacing his lost teeth with implants. The same couldn't be said for the actual League members.

As expected, the senior female members gave him a tongue lashing that he would not soon forget. Batman had been conspicuous by his absence, not that there was any shortage of male Leaguers who took turns reading him the riot act.

Yes, he knew that he had been selfish and made a mistake, dashing Raven's engagement to the changeling. He also knew that there was no point in arguing that she had been a willing participant and that she was as much to blame as he was. So he kept his mouth shut … he didn't want to lose any more teeth after all.

He continued to study the smugglers. There were minions, small fish. Sure, he could bust them right there and then, and they would go to jail and their cargo would be seized. But they wouldn't talk, and what he really wanted to do was bust whoever was behind this smuggling ring.

He pulled what looked like a small pistol from his utility belt and aimed it at one of the crates being loaded into a truck. He pulled the trigger and a tracer, propelled by compressed air, shot out of the barrel, flying until it hit its target. Two armed men, both wielding military grade weapons looked around, having heard a delicate thud. Their rifles had spotlights on them and they performed a meticulous sweep of the area. The found nothing as Grayson had already retreated. The larger of the two men shrugged his shoulders and they resumed their posts. Soon the truck was loaded and it took off.

Nightwing watched from a distant perch, his scanner in his hand. He trailed the truck until it pulled into an old dilapidated warehouse. The merchandise, illegal weapons, would remain there for a few days until it was safe to move it again. By then he would know who was using the building. His patience that night had paid off, now it was time to go home. He would get Babs to help him find the trail from the warehouse back to the kingpin who was running the show before lunchtime tomorrow.

He rode his motorcycle back to the underground garage where he stored it, a place hidden in the city's network of sewage lines. Using his grappling hook he climbed back to his loft, which he entered through a skylight.

The loft felt empty without Raven being there and his bed looked huge, cold and empty. There was no point dwelling on that, she wouldn't be returning and he would have to find himself new bedtime playmates. It had been three short weeks, but he would treasure the memories. Raven had been an exquisite lover and he still couldn't believe that the changeling had categorically refused to take her back. As far as he was concerned, Garfield was a proud fool to throw her away like that, but heck, it was his funeral. He had the right to make his own mistakes. Everyone did.

Nightwing proceeded to the kitchen, where he opened the fridge and pulled out a carton of milk, which he drank straight from the container. As he put it back down he heard a click behind him and the lights came on. In a fluid and sweeping motion he threw a bird-a-rang at the unseen intruder, who caught it with his metal hand.

"Cyborg? What the hell are you doing here?" Grayson growled at his former friend. "How did you find this place?"

"Raven told me where it was, and I came to get her stuff."

"Have you ever heard of asking first? We aren't friends anymore, remember? And you aren't welcome here. So take her crap and get the hell out."

Cyborg sat down on a chair. "Not before we talk."

"Talk?" Grayson snorted. "About what? About how you turned me into a pariah within the superhero community?"

"You did that yourself. And no, I didn't come here to talk about how you became a first class scumbag. I have some news from the Tower."

Grayson grabbed a char and flipped it around, sitting on it backwards.

"Let me guess, Garfield finally came to his senses and took her back … it's about time."

Cyborg glared at him. "That's never going to happen, thanks to you, asshole."

Dick bristled at the remark, but otherwise didn't react to Cyborg's incendiary remark.

"So what is the news that you came all the way to Bludhaven to tell me?"

Cyborg crossed his arms and frowned. Suddenly he smiled, and it wasn't a nice smile.

"You're going to be a daddy."

Grayson jerked his head as if he had been hit with a 2 by 4. "What?"

"You heard me boy blunder. Raven's pregnant and you're the father. Congratulations."

Nightwing leaped to his feet. "No way, it can't be … she was on the pill."

Cyborg shrugged. "The failure rate is low, but even the pill fails on occasion. She was very stressed out when she broke up with BB, it could have been that. Or maybe the pills never worked to begin with."

"No … no." He protested as he stepped away from the tin man. "It has to be his, it can't be mine."

"Sorry Nightie, but that's mathematically impossible. It's yours … deal with it."

Dick gestured with his hand, his index finger extended as he made jabbing motions.

"She needs to have an abortion … immediately!"

"That's her decision to make, not yours."

"But I'm the father!"

"You're a scumbag; you have no say in the matter. But if she gives birth you are going to support her."

He dropped his shoulders in a gesture of defeat. "Whatever, fine, I'll send her some money every month."

"That's not what I meant … that kid will be yours and you need to step up to the plate and be a dad."

"What? Are you crazy? I won't have time for that … I have my hands full here."

Cyborg got up and picked up a wooden crate he had just packed with Raven's belongings.

"Then make time … stop thinking about yourself for once."

Grayson turned away and slammed his fist on the heavy oak table behind him, making it shudder.

"Fuck! Dammit! This wasn't supposed to happen!"

Cyborg heavy an unhappy sigh. "A lot of things weren't supposed to happen, but they did, thanks to you. Now it's time to man up and face your mistakes."

"This isn't going to be easy … Raven hates me now."

"You got that right … you guys are gonna have to work something out. If I know Raven, she's gonna let you off the hook … but don't get your hopes up, cuz I won't let you walk away from this clusterfuck you made."

Dick sat back down on the chair. "Does Garfield know?"

"Not yet … Raven said that she wanted to tell him herself."

"He's gonna kill me … I know it."

"You mean because you knocked up his fiancé? I wouldn't worry, he got his pound of flesh, he's done with you … and with her."

Cyborg turned to leave. "We'll be in touch … dad."


	31. The One Eyed Bandit Strikes

Before we begin this chapter there are two things I need to do …

First of all, I need to thank everyone who kindly pointed out that I goofed and forgot that I said that Raven was sterile in chapter 23 (face plants in hand!). I have fixed that, and that passage now says that she was on the pill.

Secondly, I have a shout out for a great story: The Crime of Passion, by Sir Alwick. In my opinion he is, by far, the best Teen Titans fanfic author out there and if you aren't reading his story already, then get to it! He is normally a BBRae shipper and while Crime is primarily a RobStar story, it's a must read!

_**-( scene break )-**_

It was late, well past shutdown time in the Tower. Cyborg was gone for a couple of days, to see Titans East with a side trip to Bludhaven, which meant that Changeling was in charge while he was away.

It had been a quiet day. He gave the scrubs the evening off, and they went into town, undercover, to hopefully have a good time. They had just returned and checked in with him, leaving him to finish playing a game on the GameStation. His heart wasn't in it and he quit the game prematurely, leaving countless monkeys to die at the hands of evil digital ninjas.

As he stood up, stretched and yawned, the sliding doors opened. It was Raven, who hesitated before entering the room. He quickly glanced at her as he turned around and came out of his stretch.

"Uh … hi?" She greeted him.

"Hey." He replied. "Raven?"

"Yes?"

He gestured at the old circular shaped couch. "Have a seat, we need to talk."

She agreed and sat down next to him.

"Look … I owe you an apology." He began.

"You do?" She asked, unable to conceal the surprise in her voice.

"Yeah … I do. I called you some pretty nasty things yesterday, after I said I forgave you and said I wasn't angry with you anymore … I guess I lied … I still am angry at you, really angry … and I also said that you're not my friend."

"You mean that I'm … ?"

"Yeah, that was also a lie … you're still my friend Raven, even if I'm angry as hell with you."

"You have every right to feel that way." She replied meekly.

"I guess I do … I just wish I could put this behind me and not be angry anymore … damn, I feel so messed up, like I'm not myself." He complained.

"Speaking of feeling messed up … you remember that I told you that Cyborg's arranged for me to see a therapist?"

"Yeah, I do. Why, are you getting cold feet?"

She fidgeted with her hands, buying time before answering.

"No, I will go to see him, I had an appointment today, but I missed it."

"You missed it? Why, what happened?"

She heaved a heavy sigh. "I just found out that I'm pregnant."

The room fell silent while the changeling furrowed his brow.

"Pregnant? As in, having a baby pregnant?" He gulped.

"Is there any other kind?"

He turned and stared at the coffee table in front of him. "You gotta be kidding me; you can't be pregnant, you're on the pill …"

"It failed, no seems to know how or why, but in the end it doesn't really matter. I'm pregnant, there's no doubt about it."

He cautiously turned to face her. His face was wracked with anxiety. "So … is it mine?" He asked in a flat monotone.

"No … well, I'm not sure. Cyborg says that since the last time you and I were … intimate … was outside my fertility window that the probability that the baby is yours is less than 1%."

His face fell.

"So … it's Nightwing's baby then?" He asked with a hint of bitterness in his voice.

Raven nodded silently as she pursed her lips

Garfield sat up straight and frowned. "I'm not sure if I should feel relieved or upset. I think I'm both, actually"

"You mean you wish it was your child?"

He bit his lower lip before answering. "If the circumstances were different … you know … happier times … you and me… I would like that to be true."

"I also wish it was yours and not his." She replied sadly.

He glanced over at her.

"I'm sorry … what am I thinking? You're the one who's pregnant, not me … how are you feeling?"

She swallowed hard; he could see a slight tremor in her hands which she then his under her cape. "I'm scared, scared out of my mind … I don't know what to do. Should I have an abortion? Should I give birth? With I be a good mother if I bring this baby into this world?"

To her immense surprise he took her hand.

"Raven, you aren't alone in this. Cy and Star will support you, and … so will I … I don't know about Nightwing … does he know yet?"

"Cyborg should be telling him as we speak … but I don't want him involved with this."

"Raven … if it's really his kid, he should be involved."

"What if he doesn't want to be involved?"

"That'll be his choice … and loss. But you can't shut him out."

She winced upon hearing his words. "Maybe I should end it now … no baby … no Richard … no complications. What do you think, Gar? Please help me out here … I'm … so confused and scared."

He sighed. "It's not for me to choose, but if it was, you know where I stand."

She nodded. "Of course, for you all life is precious."

"Why do you think I'm a vegetarian … do you think I like tofu that much?"

A small, nervous laugh escaped her lips. "I suppose the question is moot … even if it's Grayson's baby."

"Hey, it's not the kid's fault that its dad's a douche bag. And it's not Grayson's baby, it's your baby, you're carrying it and you're the one who's going to give birth, not him."

"I know what that's like, not having a dad around ... Gar … thanks for being so kind to me, I know I don't deserve it."

He shrugged. "Oh, you know me; I've always been a big softy at heart."

She took his hand and squeezed it. "Thanks … so, changing the subject … are you ready for your date with Starfire tomorrow?"

He grinned. "You bet … you know … when Rita made me take all those stupid dancing lessons when I was a kid, I never thought it would come in handy some day, cuz I sure hated taking them back then."

He stood up from the couch. "Come on, it's late, I'll walk you to your room."

The Tower's claxon began to sound and the red lights flashed.

"Or not … I guess we aren't getting any sleep tonight." He moaned. "How come this late night crap always happens when I'm in charge?"

_**-( scene break )-**_

One by one they arrived in the common room, sleepy faced and bleary eyed.

"What's going on?" Cassie complained. "I just fell asleep when the alarms went off."

The other rookies expressed similar displeasure with the situation while the changeling reviewed the mission console. Starfire was the last to arrive.

"What is it Garfield? Who is committing a crime at this late hour?" The princess asked.

The changeling's face hardened and his jaw jutted out as he replied through clenched teeth.

"It's Slade. His robots are trying to raid the local Wayne Tech Xenothium Secure Repository."

"Sounds like it isn't secure enough and we need to get there. They received a new shipment of Xenothium yesterday." Young Robin remarked.

"That's right Tim, and there's no way Slade is getting his hands on it, not if we can help it." Gar replied.

"What a bad time to be short a team member." Superboy interjected.

"Actually, we're down two, but we can handle it."

The others exchanged a confused looks with each other, that is until Raven spoke up. "There's no reason I have to sit this out, Gar."

"Oh, yes there is."

"Don't be ridiculous, you need me on this mission and you know it."

"No, you're staying here. And that's final."

Starfire approached the bickering pair. "I do not understand, why must Raven not join us?"

An exasperated growl came out of his chest. "She's not fit to go on this mission."

"Not fit? She looks fine to me." Robin remarked.

"I'm in charge here kid, and you're still a trainee, so I don't have to give you any explanations, understood?"

"But I am not the trainee." Starfire interrupted. "And I wish to know why Raven is not fit for the mission!" She turned to the gray woman. "Raven, are you ill?"

All eyes were on the sorceress, who replied in a stammer.

"I'm not sick … I'm … I'm pregnant."

A few gasps were heard.

"Which is why you are staying behind." The changeling snarled at her.

"I'm pregnant; I didn't turn into a porcelain doll." She pushed back. "I'm in my first trimester; I'm not weak, disabled or vulnerable."

"But Raven …"

"No, you need me on this mission, stop being so stubborn, Gar. I know that you're only trying to protect me, but we're a team and I'm not letting you face Slade without me covering your back."

"You can be so damn stubborn."

"You know me, Gar, so let's cut out the crap and let's get going before Slade steals all the Xenothium."

He clenched his fist.

"Fine … just don't get hurt or I'll kill you." He mumbled.

The three rookies were now grinning.

"Way to go Changeling! You're gonna be a dad!" Cassie congratulated him.

"I'm not the father." He muttered.

"Oh … uh … gee …" Cassie fumbled for words.

"Never mind that, we have a mission … TITANS GO!"

_**-( scene break )-**_

The secure storage facility made Fort Knox look like a convenience store. It was unbelievably fortified, its exterior wall, which formed a dome over the facility, was made of a tungsten and titanium steel alloy. Slade's minions had set up a perimeter around the facility, repelling any police forces that tried to intervene.

The was a huge laser cannon parked in front of the main entrance, firing its beam into the doors, and it was slowly but steadily carving a large hole into the door and judging by the rate of progress the task would be complete in a few minutes.

Rose stood at the cannon's control panel, monitoring the progress. She would occasionally glance up at the sky, as is expecting someone or something to arrive. Finally she saw them descend from the sky and she smirked.

"It's about time you arrived."

The Titans swooped down from the sky. Cassie was holding Tim trapeze artist style and released him. He flipped and landed with aplomb as the others flew down. The changeling was in the form of a green eagle and landed in front of his team. Morphing back into his human form he addressed the one eyed bandit.

"Give it up, Rose, you aren't taking any Xenothium with you!"

_**-( scene break )-**_

Grayson sat alone in the dark, staring at the door through which Cyborg had exited. He could still hear the T-Ship's engines whining, becoming deeper sounding as the Doppler effect of the jet flying away stretched the sound waves.

That the news had hit him like a bucket of ice water was an understatement. He had never intended the situation to come this far. It was just supposed to have been an encounter on the beach; one that would be washed away like a sandcastle by the waves, all that would have been left was a sweet memory as they then proceeded into the future following their plans, she with Garfield and he in Bludhaven.

Of course, their secret was uncovered. That was not part of the plan and everything came calamitously unraveled. His ex and his friend both nearly killed him and somehow Raven wound up sleeping in his bed.

That situation had ended and while he missed her erotic companionship he was actually relieved that she had left him. It was too much of a distraction having her with him; his plan was to be a solo hero and solo heroes didn't fight side by side with their lovers.

Deep down inside, in spite of all his bravado about these being different times and how he had done nothing wrong, he was feeling a twinge of guilt over his actions and was secretly hoping that the changeling and the sorceress would eventually reconcile, and even thought that it would come to pass.

Until now.

He was going to become a father. That was most definitely not part of the plan; it did not fit into the mission.

He leaned back into his chair and throwing his head back he bellowed an exasperated groan. He was a superhero, and superheroes always did the right thing, didn't they?

"That's a lie." He whispered to himself. "We aren't all boy scouts like Superman."

Grayson stood up and walked to the window, gazing out upon Bludhaven. He could almost feel the crimes being committed out there. It was said that when it came to vileness and hopelessness that no place was Gotham's equal, though Bludhaven came close.

He opened the window and the sounds of police sirens filled the air. He knew that he belonged here, that he had a purpose in a place like this. But he also knew that this was not a place to raise a son or daughter. For one thing he would never have time to be a proper parent and even if he did there was no way he would bring a child into this hell hole.

He closed the window and returned to his dark seat in the shadows. The child did indeed need a father figure, someone to raise him, to nurture her. He understood that a child required many things from that special man but there was one more thing he knew.

He wasn't that man.

His Batclan communicator trilled. He opened it and saw Babs face.

"What is it Oracle?"

"Turn on the TV. There's something you need to see on the Gotham News Network."

He grabbed the clicker and summoned his TV to life. He frowned when he saw the scene before him.

"Slade!"

_**-( scene break )-**_

The laser cannon finished cutting through the metal door, which fell away, landing with a loud thud. Countless Slade-bots began to pour into the opening. Rose grinned at her opponents.

"You've got it backwards, you can't stop me. The Xenothium is as good as ours."

"Your dad's robots have never been a match for us!"

"I don't need the robots; I can kick your butts without their help, why do you think I sent them all inside?"

Starfire raised her arms, summoning two star bolts. "We will be doing the kicking of the butt!"

Rose grinned. "That's so precious. I love the way you talk."

Wonder Girl smacked her fist into her palm. "I've heard you're good with those swords, but there's six of us, and we have a lot of muscle, sweetheart."

Rose continued smiling, as she planted her hands on her hips and adopted a confident, cocky stance.

"I know you're Zeus's daughter, that Trigon is Raven's father and Superboy is half human and half Kryptonian." She glanced at Robin and blew a kiss at him. "Timmy's just an ordinary guy, no powers, but he is cute, cuter than Grayson."

"What did you say?" Gar gasped.

"We know, Gar, we've known for a long time."

Raven began to feel uneasy and she approached the changeling. "Gar, I'm sensing something, something magical, something … evil about her."

"You got that right, witch. And you're first on my list. It's payback time, bitch."

"You leave her alone!" The changeling snapped at her.

"Oh Garfield, you still have feelings for her, even after she dumped you for Grayson."

"I didn't dump him!" The sorceress screeched.

"Don't get technical with me, Raven; the whole world knows what you did." Rose smirked.

"Don't listen to her; she's just trying to mess with our minds. Surrender Rose, there's no way you can win!"

She started swaggering towards the changeling. "It's a shame I have to destroy you, Gar. I was hoping that we could have finished our make our session."

"You're deluded." Robin hissed as he extended his bo staff. "Just how are you going to beat us?"

Rose grinned. "With a single word …" Her grin turned into a malicious smile.

"Shazam"

_**-( scene break )-**_

Some more Titans trivia …

In the comics, Beast Boy could talk when in his animal forms, and would often wisecrack and taunt his opponents while in his animal forms, especially when fighting Slade. Also, he wasn't a vegetarian in the comics … however Raven was a vegetarian (at least in the 1980's she was).


	32. We Never Give Up

Grayson stared at the TV screen. He immediately recognized the so called "Secure Repository". The facility contained enough Xenothium to make enough bombs to destroy the world ten times over. Its construction had been opposed by a group of citizens who were less than thrilled at the prospect of having so much of the deadly substance stored in their fine city. Times were tough however and Wayne Tech promised that the repository would create over one thousand sorely needed high paying jobs, so the project was rubber stamped, especially since the Mayor and City Council felt that Bruce Wayne could be trusted, unlike his competitors Lex Luthor and Dr. Thaddeus Sivana.

Grayson frowned as he saw the Slade-bots overrun the repository and he cursed his bad luck. Cyborg was already on his way back, taking a suborbital path that would get him back to Jump City in minutes.

He grabbed his Justice League communicator and placed it in his ear. He tapped on it.

_This is the Watchtower … this line is reserved for Justice League business and you are an unauthorized user, get off of this line immediately._

"This is Nightwing; I need an emergency teleportation to …"

_The League does not recognize you. You are ordered to get off this line._

"What do you mean you don't recognize me?"

_You are not a member of the League, or any of its affiliated groups. _

"I need to get to Jump City, Slade is attacking the Xenothium repository and I …"

_The Titans have already responded. Should they request assistance the League will send backup._

"I'm a Titan!"

_That is not true. Cyborg has instructed us to not recognize you as a Titan. Your communicator has been programmed to self destruct in 15 seconds. Watchtower out._

Grayson hastily removed the communicator from his ear and tossed it on the table. It began to spark and smolder.

"Dammit!" He growled as he pulled out his Batclan communicator. He pressed the button with Oracle's symbol on it.

_Yes Nightwing? Are you still watching?_

"I need to get to Jump, and the Justice League won't help me."

_I'm sorry … what do you want me do?_

"I don't know … talk some sense into them?"

_They've made up their mind._

"What about Bruce? He carries a lot of weight there."

_Who do you think got you banned?_

"He did? Crap! What about the rocket?"

_Since the teleporters came online it's obsolete. It was removed from the Batcave years ago … Dick, I'm sorry_.

"So I'm just supposed to sit here and watch? Can't you do something? For old time's sake?"

Babs replied in a slightly irritated voice.

_Dick, we weren't a couple … sure we had a few good rolls in the hay, but that's it. And even if there had been more, there's nothing I can do for you. You aren't a Titan and you aren't even a member of the Batclan anymore. If Bruce finds out I let you keep a communicator I'm dead meat on a stick._

"But Babs …"

_You made your bed, pretty boy. They say that the only things that we really own are our mistakes. I'm sitting in a wheelchair and I not only can't I feel my legs, I can't feel anything below the waist, and that includes sex. I made a mistake and I'll pay for it the rest of my life. You made your own mistakes … so deal with it and move on. You aren't a Titan anymore and don't think you can ever show your face there again, not after what you did._

"They need me, it's Slade."

_No, they don't. The world doesn't revolve around you, Dick … you aren't indispensable, no one is … look … you had your fun with Raven, and you dashed any chance of her marrying Changeling … can't you just leave well enough alone? Do you have any idea of how many people are pissed off with you?_

"No, I don't have any idea … I thought this was a private matter."

_Private? You idiot! You broke up an engagement; everyone knows that you did it. Don't you watch Superhero Magazine?_

"No, I don't … Babs … are you pissed with me too?"

_You bet I am! You know that I'm no prude, I've slept with my share of guys, but what were you thinking? You weren't getting laid? Get yourself a friend with benefits for goodness sake! Dammit, I could have set you up with someone, but no, you had to go and fuck the fiancée of one of your best friends. Do you have any fucking idea of just how damn hard it is to find someone worth marrying? And especially for meta-humans? Why the hell was she so damn irresistible?_

Grayson rubbed his temple. "It's worse than that, Babs."

_Worse? How the hell could it be worse?_

He gulped. "I knocked her up."

Silence.

"Babs?"

_You're shitting me … fuck! … you know, a lot of people were hoping that maybe through some miracle they would reconcile … are you sure it's yours?_

"According to Cyborg it's almost 100% certain to be mine … Babs … please, don't tell Bruce."

_You think you can keep this a secret? Unless Changeling publicly announces that it's his baby everyone will assume that it's yours … oh Grayson … you are so screwed. So what are you going to do?_

"Hell, I don't know. Raven dumped me and she hasn't contacted me. I think she wants me to stay away. Cyborg also banished me from the Tower."

_What do you want to do?_

"Me? What do you mean?"

_Bruce will know as soon as Raven's pregnancy becomes public knowledge, which will be in a few months at most. What are you going to tell him?_

"I told Cyborg that I would offer financial support."

_Since Bruce cut you off that doesn't amount to much. What about you? This is your kid we're talking about._

"I'm not gonna marry her."

_No one is saying that you should. This is the twenty first century, girls don't expect anymore that you'll marry them if you knock them up, but marry her or not, that's your kid. What are you going to do?_

Dick heaved a long sigh before answering.

"Nothing. I'm going to stay out of the way. I've caused enough trouble already."

_That kid is going to need its father._

"Hasn't it occurred to you that I'll be a terrible dad?"

_You should at least try._

"Why? The whole damn world hates my guts right now. My kid might as well join the club."

_I see … Bruce is calling, I gotta go … Dick?_

"Yeah?"

_Good luck … you're gonna need it.  
_

_**-( scene break )-**_

"Shazam"

The changeling was standing just a few feet away from Rose when a lightning bolt appeared in the cloudless sky and careened towards the ground, hitting Slade's daughter square on the head. A shock wave hit Garfield square in the chest, sending him falling back several feet. Raven caught him and helped him back onto his feet. He stared in disbelief at Rose, who was shrouded in a cloud of smoke.

"Dude! What was that?"

Raven released him and also stared incredulously at the cloud of smoke. "We're in trouble."

A gust of wind appeared and the smoke was thinned. A silhouetted figured appeared and emerged from the cloud. It was Rose, though she had changed. With the lack of a perspective reference point it was hard to tell, but the changeling was convinced that she was now taller, at least by a whole foot and she now had pointed ears. She was also more muscular than before, almost appearing masculine with her new bulk. She was wearing a skin tight black costume with golden highlights: boots, arm bands and a sash around her waist. But what stood out the most was a large golden lightning bolt on her chest.

"She looks like an evil version of Captain Marvel." He remarked. "Raven … do you know what happened?"

She shook her head, "It isn't possible, Teth Adam died centuries ago."

Cassie's eyes widened. "Teth Adam, Raven do you mean …"

Rose laughed as she placed hands on her hips. "Yes … Black Adam has returned, though you may call me Black Rose."

The Titans cautiously surrounded the empowered Wilson, who raised her right arm, flexing her massive bicep. "If only you could feel it, taste it, savor it. The power of the gods, it is beyond what any of you mortals can imagine, even you, demoness."

The changeling pointed his finger at her. "This changes nothing Rose, surrender now! It's up to you; we can do this the easy way or the hard way."

With a swiftness that would have shamed The Flash, Black Rose zoomed up to Gar and grabbed him by his shirt lifting him from the ground. "How about we do it my way, Garfield? Oh, by the way, that was the speed of Heru."

The changeling morphed into a Brachiosaurus and tried to pin the woman under his massive weight. She handily tossed the dinosaur aside, sending him crashing into the dome. "I have the strength of the god Amon, did you really think that a mere dinosaur would stop me?" She laughed.

Superboy boy bolted towards her. "So you're strong, well guess what, I'm strong too!"

Rose grinned as she raised her hand. A bolt of golden energy emanated from her palm and struck Connor in the chest sending him tumbling, his hands covering where he was hit as he groaned in agony.

"Kryptonians are susceptible to magic, which I know thanks to the Wisdom of Zehuti."

Starfire was airborne and began to fire a volley of star bolts at their opponent, but they had no effect.

"X'hal help me!" She shouted as she continued to attack.

"You ask for X'hal's help? She isn't even a real goddess, princess!"

Rose leaped into the air and flew towards the Tamaranian. Cassie also became airborne and intercepted her. She landed a blow on Rose's face, sending her tumbling in the air.

"You aren't the only one with divine powers!" Cassie shouted.

Rose stopped tumbling and snarled at the blond. "You might be Zeus's daughter, Sandsmark, but you are still a mortal."

The two woman clashed and began to wrestle in the air, exchanging mighty blows. Raven was tending to Superboy's injuries and she looked up. It was clear that Rose had the upper hand and that Wonder Girl wouldn't last long against her.

"Gar, we have to do something."

"What can we do? She already took out our heavy hitter and Cassie doesn't look like she's going to last long."

As if his words had been prophetic Rose hit Sandsmark across the face with a hook, knocking her out. She held on to Cassie by her shirt and raised her right fist, ready to finish her off. Her coup d' grace was interrupted when she was hit in the face by Starfire's eye beams. She groaned in pain and dropped Wonder Girl, who was caught by Raven's dark energy before she hit the ground.

Rose snarled at the princess. "That hurt!"

Back on the ground the changeling joined the sorceress.

"Raven, what the hell is going on? Where did she get these powers? It's like when Slade worked for your dad … we can't seem to touch her."

Raven looked up and saw the ring on Rose's finger.

"The ring, we have to get that off of her. She's using it to channel Black Adam."

"And how do we do that?"

"We need to work together, where's Robin?"

The boy wonder ran to them. "I hope you guys have a plan, because I sure don't."

Gar locked eyes with Raven and they nodded in unison. "Here's what were gonna do …"

Up in the air Starfire shouted a battle cry and charged at Rose, flying like a missile towards her. The black clad woman dodged her, grabbed Starfire by an angle and began to spin so fast that they became a blur. Starfire began to black out and Rose released her, sending the princess crashing into the Titanium dome. She bounced off the structure and fell, tumbling to the ground where she landed in a heap like a rag doll.

"It's now or never." Raven intoned.

"We're only gonna get one chance." Gar added. "Titans go."

The changeling turned into a bee and vanished from sight. Raven became airborne and approached Rose, who shot the same lightning at her that she used to disable Superboy. Raven thrust her hands forward and a black shield appeared, safely deflecting the lightning away. Rose grinned at her.

"You're strong Raven, dad says you're the strongest of the Titans, but you're still no match for me."

"We'll see about that."

"After I've killed you I'm going to keep Garfield for myself, he'll make a fantastic love slave."

"He'll never be yours." Raven snarled at her.

"Stop me if you can, witch. He's as good as mine already."

Raven uttered a dark spell, one she hadn't used since the days of Malchior, a spell she used when they rescued a small girl from Kardiak.

Raven yelped gutturally as dark energy came flooding out of her eyes and mouth and quickly began to envelope Rose's body. The platinum blond struggled against the obsidian light as she found herself immobilized. Her balled fists were exposed as were her feet and she continued to kick and struggle.

"Nice trick Raven, but how long can you keep this up?" Rose taunted her. "Once your stamina fails you, I'll snap you in half."

Raven ignored her and with her arms and legs spread she continued to spew her raw power onto Rose.

"I'm so going to enjoy killing you Raven, I'm going to present your severed head on a silver platter to my …"

Rose's diatribe was interrupted when an explosive Batarang hit her in the head. It caused no damage to her of course, but she was surprised and as Changeling had hoped, she opened her fists. A green bee swooped out of the void and landed in her. It quickly morphed into a howler monkey which swiftly pulled the magic ring off of her finger.

"Noooo!" Rose screamed in a panic.

As the monkey leaped away she grabbed its tail. The monkey howled in pain at the pincer like grip, feeling tails bones being crushed one by one. Raven brought her hands together and fired a dark energy blast at Rose's face. She grunted and her hand loosened enough for the green monkey to wriggle free and leap into the void morphing into a sparrow that glided to the ground.

As Gar flew away another magical lightning bolt appeared and struck Rose. Again, she was shrouded in a cloud of smoke, from which she fell, back in her mortal form, unconscious and tumbling. Raven caught her in her dark energy and deposited her on the ground. Robin ran to Rose and immediately cuffed her after which he examined her for injuries.

The green sparrow landed on the ground and morphed back into its human form. Raven landed next to him and he handed the ring to her.

"Are you OK?" She asked.

He gingerly rubbed his derrière. "It feels like Cinderblock just kicked me in the butt … and broke it … oww!"

"Let me help you."

"No way, you'd have to touch my butt."

She frowned at him. "Gar, I've touched and seen your butt more times than I can remember. You have a date tomorrow, or have you forgotten? You won't be able to dance unless I heal you."

He sighed. "Fine, but not here, it can wait until we get to the infirmary … go help the others first … we still have all those Slade-Bots to stop."

"Ok, agreed."

"Changeling!" Robin shouted.

"What is it?"

"It's Rose …"

"What about her? Is she hurt bad?"

Robin visibly gulped. "She's dead."

"Dead? How? She didn't fall, Raven caught her!"

The sorceress became more pale than usual. She stared at the ring in her hand. "It didn't occur to me."

The Superboy, Wonder Girl and Starfire had regained consciousness and joined their teammates, and were also astonished to hear the news.

"What didn't occur to you?" He asked.

"Without the ring she didn't have Black Adam's essence anymore. The lightning bolt that appeared reclaimed her powers, but without the ring present it also took her life force … Oh Azar! … I killed her!"

"No Raven, I did, I pulled the ring off of her finger."

"It was my idea." Her voice trembled.

"We had no choice, she was gonna kill us … Raven … it's not your fault."

Raven's face became ashen. "I have a new life growing inside me and I just took a life."

"It's not your fault, you didn't know …"

Raven wrapped her arms around him as she began to weep. As if on cue, the T-Ship arrived. Cyborg quickly disembarked.

"Yo! Who said you could party without me …"

He stopped when he saw Rose's supine figure and saw Raven crying on Garfield's shoulder."

"Whoa! What happened?"

"I'll explain later." He whispered. "There's hundreds of Slade-bots inside the dome, stealing Xenothium, take the team and stop them."

"Sure thing … are you guys OK?"

"I am, sort of … I'll stay with Raven. You lead the team."

Cyborg looked back at Rose. He aimed his bionic ear at her and heard no heartbeat.

"Sure, I got it." He turned to the others. "Titans Go!"

_**-( scene break )-**_

Cyborg heard a knock on his door.

"Come on in, it's open."

The mechanical door slid open and Changeling entered the room.

"So, it your butt fixed?"

"My coccyx had a few fractures, but Raven's fixed it."

"She's taking what happened pretty hard, isn't she?"

"It's not her fault, we had to stop Rose, or she would have finished us off."

"She was that tough, huh?"

"She was freaking invincible."

"I'm surprised that you let her go on the mission." Cyborg chided him.

"You know Raven, she won't take no for an answer."

"You were in charge, man. And she ain't your girlfriend anymore; she's supposed to follow orders."

"Has Raven ever followed orders when she didn't feel like it?"

"I guess not." Cyborg reluctantly agreed.

"And it's a good thing she didn't. We'd all be dead had she stayed behind. So … how did your chat with Nightwing go?"

Cyborg scowled. "The douche bag is gonna be an absentee dad. I threatened him, but he knows I'm bluffing, plus … I hate to say this … maybe that kid is better off without him around."

"Raven, a single mother … I never would have imagined that."

"Yeah … it sucks … I guess we're gonna have to be there for her and the kid … I can only imagine what's going through her mind now … say B, you haven't said much, how are you handling this?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "What is there to handle? Raven and I broke up before this happened. It has nothing to do with me."

"Come on green bean, that's not true and you know it."

"Well, what do you want me to do? Take her back and marry her?"

"Of course not … but c'mon man, it's gotta be eating at you, you need to talk about it."

"I'm trying not to think about it … why did you let her come back anyway?"

"So you would have rather found out later? After the baby was born?"

"Maybe … maybe there would have been no baby and I would have never known."

"B, we both know that would never happen."

"Do we? I never thought she would cheat on me with a friend."

"You don't want her to terminate the pregnancy and you know it."

The changeling slumped into a chair. "I guess you're right … it's just knowing that he knocked her up … it's like rubbing salt into a wound. It wasn't good enough that he stole her from me, now she's gonna have his baby … my life sucks."

"So what are you gonna do about it?"

Gar shrugged again. "Is there anything I can do? You're right, we can't just toss her out … I remember what Starfire told us about the future, about Raven losing her mind because she was alone."

"There is something you can do. You can come to terms with what happened, accept it and move on. You do have a date tonight with Star."

Gar nodded. "She's so sweet and nice, pretty too, and smart in her funny Tamaranian way."

"Exactly … listen man … there's life after this, I know that it doesn't feel that way right now, but there is. So you and Star go have fun tonight, and don't put any pressure on yourself. If you and Star decide that dating isn't for you, there are a lot of other pretty girls out there."

"And how do I meet them?" He asked morosely.

"I thought you'd never ask." Cyborg replied as he handed him a booklet.

"Jump City Community College?"

"You love animals, right? Well, take some biology classes. The next quarter starts in six weeks."

The changeling began to flip through the pages in the schedule. "In six weeks, you say?"

"That's right; I was on campus the other day. It was full of hot girls who would love to date a super hero. You don't even have to sign up; you could just audit the classes, that way you don't have to worry about missing classes or tests because of missions."

"This could work … but what about Slade?"

"He didn't get any Xenothium, if that's what you're asking." Cyborg remarked in a smug voice.

"No, not that. We killed his daughter …"

"You think he's gonna want to get even with us?"

"You don't think he will?"

Cyborg furrowed his brow. "I don't think so. The autopsy showed that Rose was drugged, big time. I don't think she wanted to be with him as those were mind controlling drugs they found in her. And when you think about it, Slade doesn't love anyone. Rose might have been his daughter, though at this point even that is suspect, but that doesn't mean that he loved her. He probably just saw her as a tool to be used. No one has come forward to claim her body, so she's gonna be cremated and her ashes will go into a mass grave. I'm hoping that we won't see Slade again for a long time, if ever."

"Yeah … me too."

"So, let's get Slade off the brain. You and Star are free tonight; you're going to that dance no matter what happens and you're both gonna have fun! And that's an order!"

The changeling smiled "That's Cy, you're the best"

"It's what I do, man."


	33. The Cop

_Later that day …_

It was a peaceful afternoon in the Silverlake Medical Arts building parking lot. It was, that is, until a young woman emerged from the building with her toddler, who was crying and making a fuss about an inoculation he had just received. His mother tried to shush him, but it was hopeless task and she instead she picked up the pace, quickly reaching her minivan and sliding the door open. The child threw a tantrum and the mother groaned in an exasperated tone, hoping that her cranky child would fall asleep on the way home. As she buckled the kid into the car seat she failed to notice a black vortex that appeared near the building's entrance. A petite young woman, dressed in black jeans, sneakers and a purple hoodie, stepped out of the vortex and quickly passed through the entrance doors.

She walked up the stairwell, avoiding the elevator and contact with any possible witnesses, and found herself on the third floor. The hallway was deserted and she quickly walked down the corridor until she was in front of Suite 202. The sign on the door read: Stephen Dunn, LSW.

She paused in front of the door. Her first instinct was to bolt, to run away.

Every journey begins with a single step, she reminded herself as she reached for the door handle, but she just wished she had at least a tiny notion of where this journey would take her. Before she could grab it the knob the door began to open. She sank into the floor and vanished. A young man with a relaxed demeanor emerged from the suite and walked down the hallway to the elevator. He was gone within a minute.

The young woman rose out of the floor and after taking a deep breath she opened the door. The waiting area was tiny, just a pair of chairs and a clipboard hanging beneath a sign that said: Sign In Here. She picked up the clipboard and using the pen that was chained into it she wrote "Rachel Roth" and sat down to wait. She stared at the clock, which slowly ticked the seconds away. Within moments her right knee began to bounce up and down and she had to force it to stop with her hands. She closed her eyes and began to recite her mantra.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos …"

She had repeated it few dozen times when she heard a door creak. She opened her eyes and saw a tall, thin and balding man with a friendly smile approach her.

"You must be Raven."

"I am." She replied as she got up and extended her hand to him. He gave her a polite yet friendly handshake.

"I'm Stephen Dunn. I'm glad you could make it … come in … can I get you anything?"

_**-( scene break )-**_

_That evening …_

The three scrubs were setting the table for the evening meal, which Cyborg was preparing in the kitchen. Sitting on the couch was Raven, who was quietly reading a book. She had changed back into her normal hooded cape and leotard, as that was her preferred attire, even in adulthood. The three rookies whispered quietly to each other, discussing tomorrow's arrival of Miss Martian and Impulse, which would complete the team. Raven ignored them, as her interest was elsewhere. She continued to read, until the sound of the main doors sliding open broke the silence. It was soon replaced by the sound of a happy hum.

Everyone looked up and saw the changeling, who was attired in a very elegant looking tuxedo. It fit him perfectly and was clearly not a rental. Sometimes it paid to have access to Rita's nearly bottomless credit card.

He was holding an ornate box in his hands and he smiled happily as he walked down the steps into the common room.

"Looking good, Changeling!" Cassie shouted.

"That's one sharp tux." Cyborg added.

"Nothing but the best for tonight. From what I've heard every one of Jump's "who's who" is gonna be there."

"You sure you won't be out of your element there, huh B?" Cyborg teased him.

"I'm the sole heir to a fortune those posers could only dream about, not that I care, cuz I'm gonna have the best date with me tonight."

Raven felt a twinge of envy, even though he was quite right, she wouldn't be caught dead in one of those frilly dresses pretending to be a princess or whatever it was they fantasized about at those events.

The sliding door opened a second time. Raven couldn't see the door, but she could see Connor', Cassie's and Tim's faces. They looked utterly stunned. Raven turned around to face the object of their attention.

It was Starfire. Raven summoned all of her willpower to not gasp.

Garfield was right; he was going to have the very best date that night. Bar none.

The Tamaranian was stunning. She wore her hair in a stylish and elegant bun. Her figure had filled out since her teenage days and this dress, even though it covered her figure far more than her skimpy Tamaranian attire, highlighted the feminine perfection of her body. She wouldn't have been more alluring even if she had been stark naked.

The changeling beamed at her. "You look fantastic ..."

He opened the box and pulled out a diamond encrusted tiara from it. "Only you could wear this and outshine it, Starfire … your name really does fit, you are a bright, beautiful star."

As the changeling helped the princess place the tiara on head, Raven felt a small part of herself die. Starfire was so beautiful; her smile was so radiant and joyful. Raven felt that she was just a filthy demon by comparison.

Cyborg blew a long whistle. "That is some tiara, where did Rita get that from?"

"She says that it used to belong to the last Czar's wife. I don't know if that's true, but she paid 100 grand for it."

He finished placing the tiara on Starfire's head. The redhead stood up straight and smiled.

"You look like a real princess." Connor remarked.

"She is a real princess." Raven corrected him.

"She is?"

"You mean you didn't know?" Robin asked.

"Hey, I'm not a detective." Superboy fumed as he crossed his arms in a defensive gesture.

"You'd better get going or you'll be late." Cyborg interrupted. "And don't worry about us. We won't wait up for you. Have a great night!" Cyborg cheered, winking at them. Unknown to the others he booked them a room, the presidential suite at the hotel.

Garfield and Starfire waved goodbye and were soon gone.

_**-( scene break )-**_

The valet took the keys to the BMW and handed Garfield his claim stub. The changeling extended his arm and Starfire hooked hers with his and they entered the hotel lobby. The doorman graciously pulled the heavy glass door open for them and tipped his hat as they entered.

The lobby was sumptuous, decorated in marble, with Greek style pillars. The high, vaulted ceiling had some sort of fresco painted on it, depicting a Greco-Roman pastoral scene, and was accented with the largest chandelier either of them had even seen.

They were greeted by a concierge, a young woman, who after checking their invitations (a mere formality, she knew who they were) led them to the ballroom, where there was a short line forming. She handed them an introduction card, gave the changeling the keys to their suite and wished them a pleasant evening before rushing back to greet the next couple.

The line moved quickly. Each couple handed their introduction card to an usher who announced their arrival and introduced them to those who had already arrived in a Bostonian accent. The couple in front of them was the center of attention for the other couples ahead of them in the line, who turned around and chatted with them.

"Jackson, Adele! We thought you had gone skiing in Switzerland." One of the women who was further ahead in the line chatted them up."

"We postponed the trip, the snow isn't quite right yet."

The usher worked his way through the line until he reached the popular couple and took their card.

"Introducing Mr. Jackson Beauregard and his companion, Miss Adele Vanderbilt." His voice boomed.

The assembled crowd stopped talking and turned their attention to the couple, and applauded politely.

"Why are the people applauding?" Starfire asked.

"In America, we don't have royalty. The closest thing we have are moneyed families, and those with old money are kind of our substitute for royalty." Garfield explained.

"Interesting … on Tamaran we have no such concerns about money, whether it is young or old … forgive me … I was under the impression that the Federal Reserve replaces the old money with new money when it is worn out. Am I mistaken?"

The changeling gave her a sweet smile as he handed their introduction card to the usher. "I wasn't talking about currency … what I meant is that people like the Beauregards and Vanderbilts look down on people who aren't born into wealthy families. Even if you get rich on your own, they still look down on you, they have a term for people like Steve, who made his own fortune, noveau riche: the new rich."

"Excuse me sir." The usher interrupted. "Is the information on this card correct?"

"Absolutely."

"Splendid! I have always wanted to do this!" The usher beamed.

"Knock yourself out" Gar replied.

The user turned to face the crowd. He cleared his throat and did his best to look serious and not smile.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Your attention please! Her Royal Highness, of the House of Tamaran, Princess Koriand'r and her companion, Mr. Garfield Logan of the Titans!"

Every conversation in the ballroom ceased and people turned, clearly stunned, to look at the new arrivals. At first they all stood silently, not sure of what do next. A faint female voice was heard, echoing in the ballroom, asking "Did he say princess?"

A young woman near the feet of the stairs hesitated, then curtseyed and her companion, suddenly feeling self conscious, politely bowed toward Starfire. Then, like a domino chain reaction, everyone else began to bow and curtsey. Garfield was grinning as he kept an eye on Beauregard and Vanderbilt, who eventually joined the others and properly paid their respects to Princess Starfire.

_Now that wasn't so hard, Jackson, was it?_

The two Titans descended the short staircase into the ballroom, and crowd erupted into raucous applause. The changeling smiled happily as he pondered the situation.

_I might be a green freak, but my date is an honest to goodness princess. Eat your heart out, Beauregard._

_**-( scene break )-**_

Raven stood on the Tower roof, staring at the city's downtown area across the bay, knowing that somewhere in that luminous concrete canyon was the hotel where the Ball was being held. She crossed her arms and closed her eyes, trying her best to feel happy for Garfield and Starfire … and failing miserably. She was wallowing so deeply in her bitterness that she almost didn't hear the rooftop access door open, not that she need to hear it. She immediately sensed Cyborg's presence.

"You OK, little lady?"

"I'm not much of a lady, you should call me 'little slut'."

Victor frowned. "Hey, you're my little sister. You aren't a slut or a whore."

"That's what Steve told me today, that I shouldn't call myself a slut."

Cyborg handed her a small plate.

"What's this?" She asked.

"Dessert, you took off right after dinner before I served it."

Raven lifted the fork to her mouth and took a tiny bite.

"Tiramisu? Now you're just trying to spoil me."

The tin man chuckled. "C'mon, let's sit down."

Cyborg guided her to an old couch he kept on the roof. They both sat down and quietly ate their cake.

"So, how did your visit with Steve go today?"

"I already have a prognosis."

"That soon?"

"Yeah … I hate myself. I hate who and what I am."

"If it's any consolation, that was my problem too."

"You hid it well. I never would have known, Victor. You were always so cheerful and boisterous."

"That was just the mask I was hiding behind. I didn't want you guys to know how disgusted I was with myself."

"How could you feel that way about something that happened to you that wasn't even your own fault?"

"Is it your fault that you're half demon?"

She put her plate down. "No it isn't … but it influences everything that I do, but there's more … you know how I try to control my emotions, more like repress them actually?"

"Yeah … I know, they're tied to your powers."

"Well, that's had some negative effects on my human half … I think it might be the root behind all of my recent self-destructive behavior."

"Makes sense to me … so what's next?"

"I don't know … a lot of sessions, I guess. I was beginning to tell Steve about Nevermore when our time ran out … he's gonna think I'm nuts when I tell him that I can talk with my emotions as if they were different people. And we didn't even get to discussing Rose Wilson's death …"

Cyborg smiled. "First of all, 'nuts' isn't a clinical term. Second, he knows that you are only half human, right?"

"Not really … I'm still not comfortable revealing that to him … it's bad enough that Slade knows the truth."

"We know the truth."

"And I'm sorry that I kept that secret hidden from you guys so long."

"It was kind of obvious that something was different about you … you remember the day Starfire and the Gordanians came? You were so … how can I put it? Closed?"

"And you said that I would fit in just fine."

"Well, you did fit in. You came back and defeated Trigon because you did fit in … I can still remember your words … I was raised by my friends, they are my family ..."

"And you're not welcome here." She completed the sentence.

"Raven, that day … that was the most amazing thing I ever saw. If that isn't proof that you aren't a monster, then I don't know what is."

"And yet I betrayed the man I love … and I got to watch him go off tonight to a grand Ball with a gorgeous princess."

"He only went with Star."

"Like I said, a gorgeous princess."

"If you'll recall, I did say that this coming back was gonna be hard."

"I know, please don't remind me."

"Aw c'mon, Raven, he went out with Starfire. They've been in each other's friend box since day one … nothing's gonna happen. They're just gonna have a good time, have a nice dinner, he'll dance with her and treat her the way a lady should be treated."

"Thanks for making me feel soooo much better." She replied, her voice dripping in sarcasm.

"What are you jealous about? You don't even like doing that stuff."

"Ok, I don't like dancing … but I do like to be treated … nice. Or do you think I don't like that either?"

"OK, sorry … maybe you do have a reason to be jealous. But really, nothing's gonna happen between them … but …"

He paused.

"But what?" She asked in a slightly alarmed tone.

"Well … he's eventually gonna find someone else, someone who won't put him in the friend box. What are you gonna do then?"

Raven shrugged. "I don't know … talk to my therapist?"

"I hope you're serious, cuz if you try to sabotage anything, he's gonna be really pissed with you."

"I won't do that."

"I hope so … say … are you gonna eat that?"

"Get your own." Raven replied with a smirk as she picked up her cake and resumed eating it.

Cyborg smiled."Now that's the little sister I know and love."

As Raven finished her Tiramisu she pondered Cyborg's words. He was right; nothing was going to happen that night. He and Starfire were just friends, after all.

_**-( scene break )-**_

Garfield and Starfire were seated at a table for six with two other couples for the dinner portion of the evening. Their table mates were a pair of attorneys and a young doctor who had finagled an invitation o the Ball as an early birthday present for his wife, who was a CPA with Lexcorp. The two Titans charmed their dinner companions with tales of their adventures as superheroes, especially as the Teen Titans they used to be. Starfire had their undivided attention when she told them the story of when Blackfire tried to marry her off to a slimy alien and how she challenged her and became the Grand Ruler of Tamaran, only to abdicate her crown to her wise knorfka.

Garfield felt elated. He was enjoying the evening. The vegetarian meal they served him was utterly delicious and with Starfire at his side Grayson's treachery was all but forgotten. Soon the dishes were cleared away and the second part of the evening was about to begin. The round tables were lined around the ballroom's periphery, with the huge dance floor in the middle of the room.

An emcee appeared and announced that the dancing was about to begin and that tonight's first dance would be a Slow Waltz, which would be followed by a Tango, Foxtrot, Viennese Waltz, Samba, and Rumba, after which there would be a break and refreshments would be served.

As the orchestra began to play the changeling stood up and gallantly offered his hand to him companion.

"Shall we dance, milady?"

Starfire giggled in a way that reminded him of when they were teenagers. Suddenly the woes that had afflicted them both, the lost loves and the associated disappointments ceased to be. She took his hand and he led her to the dance floor, where they waltzed. They were oblivious to the gawkers, who would have stared at them simply because they were Titans, but did especially so now that they knew that Starfire was pure blooded princess. The announcement had been Garfield's idea. He knew that she wouldn't have given being a princess a second thought, as in her mind the job of royalty was to serve the people and not to be fawned by them. By she would have been lying had she later claimed that Changeling's little surprise move didn't make her feel special.

They continued to dance away the night, cycling through the different dances. She remained an enthusiastic dance partner until the first intermission came and they returned to their tables, where a small dessert and sweet bubbly wine was served.

After the fifteen minute break it was time again to dance. Their table mates rose quickly and headed out to the dance floor. As the changeling rose she gently placed her hand on his forearm.

"Garfield, I wish to skip the first dance."

"Sure, why not?" He replied as he sat back down.

The princess suddenly looked apprehensive and she began to nervously tap her index fingers together.

"Star? Is something wrong?" He asked her.

"Oh dear friend, the evening has been magical. The dinner was succulent, even without any mustard. The music was exhilarating and the dancing was fun. You made me feel like a princess tonight."

He almost laughed. "Star, you are a princess!"

"Yes … of course … I meant that you made me feel like an earthly princess … like the ones in the Disney movies. You are always so kind and thoughtful my friend, and I love you so much and I am so glad and happy that you are part of my life …"

"But?" He asked, unable to hide that he knew she was about to say something bad.

"The dancing … it makes me think of … him."

He frowned before allowing an unhappy groan to escape from his lips. "Star, he dumped you … and he isn't coming back, he …"

Gar couldn't bring himself to finish his sentence.

"He stole your beloved from you because he could not get what he wanted from me … so he took it from her."

Gar lowered his head. "Yeah … that … Star, you need to forget about him, he isn't coming back. All he cares about is fighting crime … look at how easily he let go of Raven when she dumped him … I'm sorry … please forget about him … for you and … for me."

Tears began to drip down her face. "I cannot."

"He isn't worthy of you."

"I know … but my heart belongs to him, and it always will. I am so sorry Garfield … if you wish, we can be lovers, as I am the unattached, but I cannot give you my heart."

He took her hand and squeezed it. "Thanks Star, but if you can't give me your heart, then I can't accept your body."

She nodded sadly. "I understand, dear friend, and I am so sorry that I broke your heart."

He waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. "Don't be silly … we're still best friends, right?"

She smiled. "Of course. Garfield … forgive me for my impertinence, but perhaps you should consider the taking back of Raven."

"Say what?"

"She is your beloved. Like mine, she has betrayed you. Unlike mine she is sorrowful for what she has done and wishes to reconcile with you."

"I know, but I'm not ready to do that … to be honest, I don't know if I'll ever be ready to take her back."

"But she is your beloved."

"Star, I don't want to get hurt again … plus she's pregnant with his child." A sad look appeared on his face, he seemed ready to cry, but instead he quickly pulled himself together. "I guess we should go home now."

"I am so sorry that I have ruined your evening."

"No, don't say that. I had a great time with you."

"Thank you, friend … please excuse me, I need to use the lady's room, I do not wish to return home with tears on my face."

"No problem, Star, take your time."

Garfield watched dejectedly as Starfire left the table to headed to the powder room. That Grayson could somehow continue to mess up his life was not lost on him.

_He treated me like a clown, never acknowledged when I did something right, accused me of things I never did and then ruins my whole damn life._

He began to brood unhappily as he waited at the table for Starfire to return. As he continued to feel sorry for himself he heard some footsteps approach from behind him, his sensitive ears could discern that they belonged to a woman. He got up and spun around on the balls of his feet.

"Ready to …"

He stopped midsentence as the woman was not Starfire. It was an attractive Hispanic woman dressed in a bright red evening gown. She somehow looked … familiar.

"Do I know you?"

The woman smiled nervously. "We've met before … I'm Sgt. Mireya Becerril."

The changeling paused as he tried to remember.

"I remember! You were on Lieutenant Washington's supervillain team, but you weren't a Sergeant back then."

She nodded. "I was an 18 year old rookie when I was on the team."

"So what happened after the team was disbanded? Where did you end up?"

"I was transferred to the Vice Division."

"Oh … that's interesting."

"It's not as glamorous as fighting supervillains, but that's your specialty." She beamed.

"Yeah, I guess it is … so … are you enjoying the Ball?"

"I'm here as part of a security detail, at the Mayor's request. Too many high rollers here tonight."

"I understand … so what can I do for you Sergeant?"

"Please … just call me Mireya."

He smiled. "Don't mind if I do. YO can call me Gar"

"Forgive me for intruding, but my job tonight has been to watch everyone and I couldn't help but notice that you and Starfire … you aren't seeing her, are you?"

"No, I'm not. This was our first and last date, I'm afraid. She isn't over her ex, I'm afraid."

"I'm so sorry."

"Don't be … we're still friends, really good friends. We were just exploring to see if maybe we could be more than that. It just turns out that we won't."

"I understand."

She reached into her hand purse and pulled out a business card.

"Where is your gun?" He asked. "It sure isn't in that tiny little purse."

She discreetly raised the hem of her dress, revealing a holster with a laser pistol in it on her shapely and muscular thigh. She dropped the hem and handed her business card to him. He read it carefully.

"Thanks, Mireya, but the Titans don't do vice work."

"Oh, that's not why I gave it to you."

"No? Then why?"

"I … I was wondering if you'd like to … uh … go out with me?" She stammered.

His face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Really?"

She nodded enthusiastically.

"I'd love to do that."

A smile appeared on her face. "Just call me at my mobile number, anytime."

"How about next Saturday?"

"I'm on detail on Saturday, but I am free Sunday."

"It's a date!" He grinned happily.

She reciprocated his smile and pecked him on the cheek. "I have to get back to work … call me."

"You can count on it."

She turned around and walked away. A smile appeared on his face as he watched her from behind.

"Dude." He whispered to himself. "Maybe my life doesn't suck after all."

_**-( scene break )-**_

I told some of you in private earlier that Mireya was going to be a veterinarian, but I changed my mind a made her a cop instead.


	34. Raven and Mireya

The lights were dimmed in the common room as everyone had gone off to bed, everyone except Raven, who was reading a book about prenatal care and in utero fetus development, which was illuminated by a free standing lamp at the end of the old crescent shaped couch. It was the replacement couch for the one that Silkie chomped on and destroyed many years ago, and it had been reupholstered more than once. Raven shifted her bottom, trying to find a spot on the couch that wasn't lumpy. She made a mental note to tell Cyborg that it was time to replace the old relic. She knew of course that he would ignore that suggestion as he was far too attached to the old piece of junk and that she would have to apply some pressure on him, only then would he comply. Some things in the Tower never changed, she thought to herself as she flipped a page.

She grimaced, as it was a photograph of a baby's head crowning, just moments before it was born. The woman's face was contorted in pure agony while her partner held her hand, not that it did her any good.

_Maybe I'll be lucky and I'll need a C-section._

The sliding doors opened and she heard some footsteps heading off to the kitchen; probably one of the youngsters raiding the fridge for a late night snack.

_Did we eat that much when we were teens?_

Raven recalled how more than once, after a busy day chasing down hoodlums, that she would often eat a whole pizza by herself at the wedge shaped pizzeria. Now that she was an adult her tastes were more refined. She was more likely to eat sushi than pizza.

She heard the fridge door open and moments later she could hear some liquid being poured, probably a glass of juice. She shrugged and resumed reading.

"You still up?" An unexpected voice called out.

She whirled around.

"I thought you wouldn't be back until tomorrow."

With his glass of cranberry juice in his hand he sat down next to her.

"Yeah, that was the plan."

Raven closed her book. "So, what happened?"

"She said that dancing made her think of …" He grimaced "…him. She says that still loves him."

"I'm sorry … you must be disappointed."

"I am ... it wasn't a total loss, she did offer me pity sex."

"And you turned her down?"

"Well … yeah, I'm not gonna do that … I couldn't. How could I, knowing that she's really pining for that asshole?"

"Gar … I know what you're thinking …"

"What am I thinking?" He asked with a hint of irritation in his voice.

"That … that you're not attractive … that women don't find you attractive."

"You mean because I'm green, I have fangs and pointy ears?"

She shrunk away from him. "I'm sorry I ever said that … I was a different person back then."

His eyes became distant, as he recalled their trip to Tokyo. "We were all different people back then."

She placed a hand on his shoulder. "You know that I've always found you attractive, from the very day we met."

He shrugged his shoulders. "I guess … we did spend 5 years together."

"Yes … we did … Gar …"

She paused; he could tell that she was being very careful choosing her next words.

"How about we sleep together tonight?"

He frowned at her. "Now you're offering me pity sex, I really have hit rock bottom." He replied in a dejected tone.

"No! Not pity sex."

"Then what?"

"I … desire you … I want you … I miss you."

"So we're talking about 'ex sex' now, are we?"

"I guess you could call it that … Gar … why not? We work well together that way, we always had great sex … and I do miss you."

He got up and began to pace around. "I miss you too; I haven't got laid since we broke up … which is why we shouldn't do it. There's no way we'll just be fuck buddies and I'm not ready for us to get back together. Plus … you're pregnant with his kid."

"For all you know it could be yours."

"I'll wait for the DNA tests before I even consider that, if you don't mind."

Raven sighed unhappily. "So you're not interested then?"

"I'm not a beggar Raven … and I learned something tonight. I am attractive … I have a date for next Sunday."

"You do?"

"Yup, at the Ball a hot babe came out of nowhere and asked me out on a date."

"You mean a complete stranger asked you out on a date and you accepted without even having Robin or Cyborg run a background check on her? For all we know she works for Slade and is …"

"She's a cop." He interrupted her. "She was on the undercover security detail at the Ball."

"She's a police officer? Are you sure?"

He smiled. "You remember Lieutenant Washington?"

"Yes, I do … Gar … Andrea Washington … uh … she's good looking but she's a bit older than you … like about 20 years"

He burst out laughing. "I'm not into cougars! Heck, she's married. I'm talking about Mireya Becerril. You remember her, right?"

Raven took a split second to recall the past. Suddenly, she looked shocked.

"I see you do remember. She's even hotter now than she was back then."

"I see …"

He gave his ex a friendly smile. "Raven, I'm willing to be your friend again, but not your lover. Look, Star tried to talk me into taking you back … but I told her why I couldn't."

"Because I'm pregnant with Dick's baby?"

"Well, there is that … but the real reason is …"

He moaned before continuing. He looked Raven in the eyes. "I don't want to get hurt again. I know that you'll promise me that won't happen, but I just don't trust you."

Raven averted her gaze away from him. "I know, and I'm sorry … Gar … you can have me … no strings attached, even while you date her."

"I couldn't do that to her, I told her I was unattached, I'm not gonna two time her. Raven, If you and I start sleeping together, then we're a couple again … we can BS ourselves about being Friends with Benefits, but we both know that would be a lie … and right now I like you being in the friend box. That's where I'm comfortable with you. If I share my body with you, I'm gonna end up sharing my heart too, and I don't want to do that, not now, I just don't feel safe with you. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

She nodded sadly. "I do."

He leaned forward and patted her on the shoulder. "Good … I'm gonna turn in now … good night, Raven."

She watched him leave the common room and once he had left the bulbs in the lamp next to her exploded.

_**-( scene break )-**_

_Next weekend …_

"Listen up, Impulse, just because we run a timer on the obstacle course it doesn't mean that all we care about is how long it takes." The changeling admonished the young speedster. "Form also matters. So this time I want to see you take out some of the automated opponents and not just evade them."

"You mean I can trash them?" He grinned as he adjusted his goggles. The speedster had been a pain in the butt since he arrived. He never followed orders and had a huge chip on his shoulder.

"The more the better, Bart, we've got plenty of replacements, so don't be shy."

Bart Allen, the young speedster from the future, was standing at the starting line when he suddenly disappeared in a blur and appeared next to the obstacle course control console. Garfield and Starfire, who were at the controls, were still staring at the starting line and had not noticed his sudden arrival.

"I didn't know I could wreck the robots! This is going to be so crash!" Bart enthused, startling the pair.

"Do not do that!" Starfire rebuked him, looking cross. The speedster grinned at her and he vanished again, reappearing at the starting line.

"I didn't think it was possible to be more annoying than Wally, but I guess I've been proven wrong." The green Titan remarked.

"You are correct; he is the obnoxious, even more than the Kid Flash."

The changeling sighed. "They're supposed to be the next generation of Titans? Just look at them! Connor is a hot head, while Cassie can only think about getting into his pants, Tim is a smug little know it all … he's even worse than Raven ever was, Miss Martian is so perky it makes my teeth hurt and Impulse is … oh never mind."

He turned to the starting line. "Ready?" He shouted.

"I was born ready!"

"Sure you were, you little prick." Gar mumbled. "Go!"

Impulse shot off in a blur, within moments the sound of metal scraping on metal and a few muffled explosions could be heard.

"He is very fast." The princess remarked. "I believe he is even faster than Kid Flash."

"We'll see about that." Gar grinned as the speedster continued to demolish Cyborg's obstacle course.

"Your date, with Mireya, it is tonight, correct?"

"You bet!"

"Where will you take her?"

"You won't believe this Star, she's a vegetarian too, so we're going to Green Pastures for dinner. After that I'm taking her to see Wicked."

The princess beamed happily. "Garfield, I am so glad, and I hope that your date is a success! I am so sorry that our date was a failure … you do know that my offer still stands."

"Star … we already talked about this." He smiled at her.

"No, Garfield … you do not understand …" She tapped her fingers together. "When I learned that you can morph into an anatomically correct Tamaranian male I was … excited?"

"Uh Star … I don't understand, you said that you don't want to date me … but … I'm getting mixed messages from you."

She looked away from him. "Forgive me my friend; I forget that your earthly ways are different from those on Tamaran."

"I don't understand."

"I have not shared this with you or anyone on the team … not even with Raven during the girl talk … you see, we Tamaranians have different sexual morality than humans … when I first arrived I was the bewildered, as I saw conflicting standards. When I watched the TV and the Movies I initially thought that the mores were similar. But over time I noticed that people did not always behave like the actors do. That many wait until marriage to enjoy the physical intimacy. Then I learned that there are many cultures on Earth, with different standards of sexual morality … it was so confusing."

Gar gently raised his eyebrows. "I see … so … what is Tamaranian sexual morality like?"

"It is very simple … prior to choosing a mate we are encouraged to be free and explore, once we select a mate and begin to court, we become exclusive and … I … I have not had the intercourse, the real intercourse, since arriving on Earth."

The changeling's eyes boggled. "What? Star, how old were you when you arrived on Earth?"

"I was fifteen of Earth's orbital cycles."

"And you were already having sex before you arrived… casual sex?"

"That is correct … the only reason I did not ask you or Robin to mate with me was because of human and Tamaranian incompatibilities … had I known you could become a Tamaranian …"

"You mean you would have had casual sex with me when I was a teen!?" He shrieked.

She smiled sheepishly. "And I am still willing, but you do understand that it will be as you humans call it, the casual sex. Romantic love will not be involved, though I choose you because you are a dear and sweet friend. It is also possible that our arrangement could lead to romantic love, but I would have to stop loving Richard first."

His jaw was hanging agape. "OK … if my date with Mireya craters, I'll … I'll be your fuck buddy."

She shook her head. "I do not like that term, on Tamaran we call it 'Friends Who Are Lovers'."

"Star, how old were you when you … you know, you did it for the first time?"

"It was after I entered puberty, when I was twelve …"

"You were twelve!?"

"Tamaranians mature earlier than humans … my knorfka arranged it for me … with a cousin who was fourteen."

"Ok … now I'm freaking out … Galfore not only knew about it, but he set up your first time and … with a cousin!? What the hell?"

"He chose my cousin because he was known to be a gentle and tender lover, who would guide me on my first time … Garfield … our ways are different than yours, my friend. You know that unlike humans, Tamaranians exteriorize all our emotions and feelings. Upon entering puberty we desire the sex so it is exteriorized."

"Holy crap! So you've been repressing yourself all these years?"

"I did not have the choice … there was no one suitable, had I know about your ability …"

"But what about Dick?"

"Since he and I never became true mates I would have been free to mate with you."

"Now she tells me." He muttered as he shook his head. "Hey look, Bart's done … now comes the good part."

The speedster had a huge grin on his face. The obstacle course behind him lay in abject ruin, its landscape was littered with destroyed robots, smoldering remains of traps, weapons turrets and other obstacles. As he zoomed to the finish line there was a table standing about 20 feet before the line. Resting on it was perhaps the biggest ice cream sundae anyone had ever seen, it had to contain a few gallons of ice cream alone. Bart stopped in front of the table.

"Aw, you guys shouldn't have!" He gloated as he picked up a spoon and began to consume the huge frozen treat at his own hyper speed.

He was about halfway through the sundae when he suddenly felt a prick on his right thigh. He looked down and saw a dart impaled into his leg.

"That is so not crash."

Bart's vision suddenly became blurry and he began to stagger, within seconds he fell forward, landing face first in what was left of the sundae. Raven approached the table and using her dark energy she lifted his face out of the gooey soup that was melting, so that he wouldn't suffocate in it, and rested him on the ground.

"Fast feet … slow brain." She remarked in her monotone while she shook her head.

_**-( scene break )-**_

Cyborg gave the five scrubs one of his better glares.

"I'm only gonna tell you this once. BB's bringing his date up here to meet you guys before they take off, and I expect the five of you to behave! That means no flirting with her, no wisecracks, not catty remarks …" he glared at Cassie "… no showing off …" he frowned at Bart. "I expect the five of you to behave like Titans … we don't know what will happen, Sgt Becerril might end up being a regular fixture around here, and I expect this to be an environment where she can feel comfortable … have I made myself clear?"

"If she has anyone to worry, it's Raven." Cassie uttered under her breath.

"I heard that!" Cyborg bellowed.

"Sorry." Wonder Girl replied.

Raven and Starfire were in the kitchen, where the sorceress was brewing some herbal tea.

"Will you be the OK?" Starfire asked. Her question wasn't an idle one, as the gray Titan had been a virtual recluse the entire week.

"He's just going out on a date." Raven droned in reply.

Starfire winced and looked away. Her friend was doing it again, repressing her feelings. This was a human behavior she simply could not understand. Why were the people of Earth like this? Why did they keep their emotions hidden and under wraps? Starfire was more than experienced in dealing with this, as Grayson had kept her in the dark regarding his true feelings for her. And when they had their big fight, how did he react? He ran away from her and sought comfort in the bed of another woman, a woman he didn't even love … it just made no sense at all. How could humans ever truly bond when they held back so much from the ones they allegedly loved?

The princess's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the elevator doors opening.

Changeling was wearing a faded pair of jeans, some Converse sneakers and a polo shirt. Mireya was wearing a pair of skin tight jeans and a form fitting red T-shirt that not only highlighted her well shaped breasts, but also the fact that she wasn't wearing a bra.

"Whoa … major babe alert." Impulse whispered.

"Oh yeah, she is so hot." Robin whispered his agreement back to him. "How the hell did Changeling score like that?"

Starfire didn't say anything to Raven, who stared at Mireya. While her body didn't betray her displeasure, her indigo eyes trembled. The two senior Titans watched as Garfield introduced Mireya to the scrubs and Cyborg.

Unknown to the others, Raven had done a background check on the Sergeant. Mireya Becerril was at the tail end of an unfriendly divorce. Her marriage had barely lasted over a year and ended abruptly when her husband suddenly and out of the blue had demanded a divorce, saying that he was "unfulfilled". A little more research revealed that Becerril had trouble making relationships last, which as far as Raven was concerned was good news. The bad news was that Mireya was probably very eager to start a new one, and would probably be soon inviting Gar to sleep with her to seal the deal. And it didn't help that she was very well stacked.

"Stay away from him, you little whore." Raven grumbled sub-audibly. "He'll never be yours … he's mine."

Starfire cocked her head towards her friend. "Raven, did you say something?"

Raven shook her head. "No … nothing."

Garfield approached the kitchen with his date in tow.

"Mireya, I'd like you to meet two other members of the team … Starfire and Raven."

Mireya shook hands with the Tamaranian.

"I do remember you now. Friend Garfield once saved you from Dr. Light." The princess remarked.

"Yeah, that was just before we disbanded the Super Villains Unit … the chief of police decided that it was better to leave them to you guys."

Mireya turned to the sorceress and extended her hand. Raven's arms did not emerge from her cloak. The changeling glared at her, but she refused to shake Mireya's hand, which was awkwardly withdrawn.

"Welcome to Titans Tower, Sergeant." Raven greeted her in an unfriendly monotone.

"Thanks … you're Garfield's ex, if I'm not mistaken."

"Former girlfriend, yes, ex-wife, no." Raven replied as she locked eyes with the policewoman.

"I see someone has been playing detective with me." Mireya replied in a mild huff.

"What do you mean?" Garfield asked.

"What I mean is: Raven is subtly pointing out that I was divorced three months ago."

Gar shrugged his shoulders. "Oh … well … that happens … I guess." He fumbled for words.

"I was planning on telling him tonight." Mireya interrupted.

"I truly hope that you were planning on being honest with him. He might not be my boyfriend anymore, but I am still very protective of him."

"You are?" The changeling asked.

"Who found you and rescued you from Slade's lair?"

"Uh … you did."

She turned to the policewoman. "If you hurt him, you will answer to me."

The changeling gulped. "Uh … thanks Raven … it's … good to know that you've got my back." He began to nudge Mireya to the door. "Don't wait up on me guys, I might be late getting back tonight."

The elevator doors shut and the young couple was gone.

Wonder Girl smirked. "I called it."

_**-( scene break )-**_

"Don't you ever take that mask off?"

"Sorry baby, it stays on … secret identity and all that stuff."

"You're no fun … you blindfolded me before bringing me here and now you won't even let me see your face."

"I'm letting you see the rest of me." He soothed her. "That has to count for something, and besides, we couldn't do it at your place."

"I can't help it if I have roommates." She grinned as she dropped her panties.

"That's more like it." He replied as he pulled her into a kiss.

"This is cool … I've never fucked a superhero before." She giggled as they began to make out.

"And you won't tonight." A gravelly voice came out of the shadows.

The young woman shrieked. "What the hell is going on? You didn't say that someone was gonna watch … I'm not into that kind of kinky stuff."

Nightwing pushed the young bimbo off of himself and stood up, stark naked, to face the intruder.

"Having fun, Nightwing?"

"What are you doing here?"

The young tart scooped up her clothes and backed away from the bed. Raven stepped out of the shadows.

"It didn't take you long to replace me."

"She isn't your replacement, she's a one night stand … I don't even remember her name."

"Oh, I feel so much better now." Raven remarked.

"What the hell are you complaining about, Raven? In case you forgot, you dumped me."

The naked girl backed into a corner in Nightwing's loft. "She's your ex? You gotta be kidding! She's scary beyond belief!"

"I'm not his ex, we were never anything!"

Raven raised her hand and a vortex appeared behind the terrified girl, who stumbled and fell into it, vanishing into its dark folds.

"Where did you send her?"

"To a park, about 20 blocks away … would you mind putting some clothes on?"

Grayson grabbed a pair of boxers from the floor and slipped them on. "Your timing couldn't have been worse."

"Poor baby … you won't get laid tonight. You sure have fallen low. Picking up sluts and bringing them home?"

"I said she wasn't a replacement for you … now would you mind telling me why are you here?"

Raven pulled up a chair and sat down. "Isn't it obvious … we have a problem."

"Yeah, I know … what do you want me to do about it? … I once promised to marry you, is that what you want from me?"

"Are you crazy? I don't want to marry you, I want to marry Gar."

"Good luck with that … so … what do you want from me, other than to wreck my love life?"

"I want to know what you intend to do about our child."

"I don't intend to do anything … look … I'll provide financial support…"

"I don't want or need your money, and besides, you don't have any."

"So what the hell do you expect me to do? Show up on weekends and take the kid to Disneyland or something?"

She turned away from him and with her arms crossed she walked to the window, staring at the city outside.

"I don't have any expectations of you."

"Then why the hell did you come here?"

"To give you a chance."

"Maybe I don't want one. Maybe a kid doesn't fit into my life. I know I should try to be a good dad, but has it ever occurred to you that maybe I can't be one?"

"So that's it, you're just going to wash your hands of this child, because your obsession is more important."

"Yeah … it is … and I'm sorry if you don't approve."

"My approval is irrelevant … Dick, if you walk away, you might end up regretting it someday."

He snorted. "My life is one big, huge regret, Raven. I lost my parents, I've lost my mentor, I've lost my friends, I lost Starfire and then I lost you …"

"I was never yours."

"Yeah, yeah, you belong to Gar, you keep telling yourself that."

Raven pursed her lips and turned around, conjuring another vortex. "I see that I wasted my time coming here … don't worry, I won't come back again, I won't interrupt any more of your booty calls … oh and one more thing."

She paused before stepping into the portal.

"I won't put your name on the birth certificate."

"You won't? Then whose name will you put?"

"No one's name. It will say Father: Unknown." She replied as she stepped into the vortex and disappeared.


	35. The Lamaze Class

Before we start, I would like to thank all those who came to my aid this morning, defending my honor without my requesting their intervention. Your kind words and actions will be remembered, thank you.

And now, back to the story.

_-( scene break )-_

The BMW convertible sped its way around Bayside Boulevard, its German engine roaring as it zigzagged through the light traffic. It was a pleasant evening and the top was down. Mireya smiled as the wind blew through her raven black hair and she hummed happily. Garfield looked distressed and was tight lipped as he drove. She glanced at him several times and after a few minutes had passed she decided to take matters into her own hands.

"She's kind of possessive, for a former girlfriend that is." She remarked.

He furrowed his brow as he replied. "If she could have things her way, she wouldn't be my ex."

"Is it true … that she cheated on you with Nightwing?"

"That was supposed to be a secret." He grumbled.

"It was kind of obvious … you guys broke up earlier in the year and then you got back together. Then all of a sudden Raven and Nightwing are together in Bludhaven."

"How do you know all that?"

"Do you ever watch Superhero Magazine?"

"I try not to, I hate that show ..."

She placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry Gar, I'm a lousy date, making you think of your ex, but … you live with her … isn't that kind of, you know, weird?"

"We're superheroes on the same team … it can't be helped."

"Couldn't she go to Titans East?"

"No, she isn't welcome there, plus she has some old baggage with Aqualad."

"Baggage? Geez, I'm almost afraid to ask."

He snorted. "I'll tell you anyway … remember when I broke up with Raven earlier this year?"

"Yeah, that was also covered by Superhero Magazine … they said that you guys had a big fight at the annual Titans Ball."

"That's not why we broke up … after the fight I caught her in bed with Aqualad."

"And you took her back after that?"

"It's a long story, in a way I was partially to blame. But with Nightwing, no fucking way was it my fault."

"Did she have an excuse?"

"Oh, some crap about discovering herself and wanting to know what it would be like to screw Nightwing, that it was a onetime deal."

"I'm sorry, Gar. I know that talking about your ex is a no-no for a first date, but it's my fault, I brought it up. Tell you what; I'll bare my soul to you, so were even."

He grinned. "Sure, why not? But I haven't told you the real reason Raven came back to the Tower … she's pregnant."

"You're kidding me? Is … is it yours?"

"Nope, it's Nightwing's. I slept with her for five years and we were engaged … and now she's pregnant with his kid … OK … no more talking about Raven. So tell me about yourself."

"Well, as you already know, I am recently divorced. I haven't dated or anything like that until now, I didn't want to start anything while I was still rebounding."

"So what happened? I can't believe that your ex left you for another woman, I mean ... you're super hot."

She laughed. "No, he didn't leave me for another woman … he left me for another man."

The car swerved as he jerked from the surprise.

"You're shitting me! Dude! That's even worse than my story. So how did you wind up with this guy?"

"I'm Hispanic, and so was he. He wasn't ready to come out of the closet, which is especially hard in our culture. When his parents found out, they were furious. I have to admit, he put on a good act … I didn't have a clue until he came out. He was actually pretty good in bed, at least at first. After a few months he started to lose interest then we just stopped have sex altogether. Then one day, after coming off a really crappy shift, when I got my ass chewed out by the captain, I came home exhausted and frustrated and that was when he dropped the bomb on me."

"Whoa! How did you feel about that?"

"Like crap. I felt used, I was angry, furious. How could he do that to me? Just marry me to keep his folks happy … shit, they were even asking me how come I wasn't pregnant yet, that they wanted grandchildren. Of course my parents were hounding me for grandkids as well. And to make matters worse I'm trying to get an annulment now so I can get married again in the Church, you know, to keep my family happy."

"It's official … your life sucks even more than mine … but tonight, were gonna forget all about that and we're gonna have a good time." He cheered her up as he pulled his car into the restaurant's parking lot.

They got out of the car and he offered her his hand, which she quickly accepted. Before they entered the restaurant he stopped.

"I know it's only the first date and we're just getting started … but … how about a kiss?" He asked, wagging his eyebrows.

She giggled and leaned over, planting her lips on his, unaware that a pair of indigo colored eyes were watching from the nearby alley. After they entered the restaurant Raven turned and disappeared into one of her dark vortexes.

_**-( scene break )-**_

"Good morning, grass stain … how was your date?"

Garfield was rummaging through the fridge. "It was great … hey! Who drank all the guava juice!?"

"Don't look at me; I don't drink that crap … so?"

"So what?"

"So what happened? C'mon … I want the full play by play … how far did you get?"

The changeling continued rummaging. "I kissed her."

"First base? That's all? What the hell? You aren't in high school anymore, you know?"

"Hey, it was the first date … what were you expecting? I thought I did pretty well."

"I'm just yanking your chain, B. So, are you going out again?"

"Well duh, of course we are. She's taking me to some kind of concert next Friday, something … Hispanic."

"Hispanic? You mean like Mariachis or something?"

"I don't know, I didn't ask, I just said yes."

Cyborg smirked as he pulled out a frying pan.

"I gotta hand it to you B; this time you really outdid yourself. She is one sweet piece of ass."

"You think I haven't noticed? I get a boner just by thinking about her."

"And she's recently divorced too, wanna bet she's gonna ask you to stay over at her place next time … you are one lucky bastard."

"Aren't we getting ahead of ourselves here? She's really nice, and I'm not gonna screw this up by trying get her into bed."

"Fine, so you wait until the third date. Then you make your move, B"

The changeling laughed. "You're living your fantasies through me, you do know that don't you?"

"And what's wrong with that?"

Gar smiled as he shook his head. The sliding doors opened and Raven entered the room. Her face was blanker than usual.

"Good morning, little lady!" The tin man greeted her. "Did you sleep well?"

"No, not really." She replied as she entered the kitchen.

The changeling intercepted her. "I have a bone to pick with you."

"I know … I'm sorry."

"Don't tell me that, tell Mireya."

"This isn't easy for me."

"Yeah, well … tough. We're going out again Friday and I expect you to apologize to her."

"Yes … I will … I'm sorry."

"You'd better be." He replied as he walked out of the common room.

"Nice save." The tin man remarked. "Though it would have been better if you had been civil with her to begin with. You do know that by being territorial with him that you're just pushing him into her arms."

"Yes, I know."

"Raven, do yourself a favor … just stay away from him. For now. Just be patient, if you guys are meant to be together it'll happen, but hounding him and being territorial when he brings a girl home ain't gonna help your cause."

_**-( scene break )-**_

_Four months later …_

"Hey babe … so, you were able to trade shifts? … Excellent! I'll pick you up tonight!"

Gar ended the call on his smart phone and put it down, while a huge smile appeared on his face. After a month of dating Mireya invited him into her bedroom and if the past was a reliable indicator he would be spending the night at her place again. Her only restriction was that her family couldn't know, or they would kill her if they found out she was having extramarital sex.

He couldn't believe his luck. In addition to being incredibly beautiful she was smart, funny, confident and … oh man … she knew how to please him … she was almost as good as …

_Don't! Don't even think about her!_ He reprimanded himself. _That's past history, it doesn't matter how good a fuck she was or how much you loved her. It's over._

His Titan communicator suddenly trilled. It was chrome dome.

"Wassup, dude?"

"Can you come to the infirmary?"

"Sure, what for?"

"The results are back."

"Results? … Oooh, those ones. This won't take long, will it? Mireya just called and …"

"Nah, just a few minutes."

"Ok dude, on my way."

Within a couple of minutes he arrived at the infirmary and to his surprise Raven was there too.

"Why are you here?"

"She's here because I asked her … this affects her as well."

The changeling gave his metal buddy and irritated look. "Fine, let's just get this over with."

"OK." Cyborg replied as he picked up a print out. "As you both know I sent a sample of BB's semen to Star Labs and the results just came back."

"And?" Gar asked with a hint of impatience in his voice. Raven sat still, without betraying the maelstrom of emotions that churning in her psyche.

"You aren't the father, it's physically impossible."

Raven's face betrayed the disappointment she was feeling.

"So I've been shooting blanks all these years?"

"I'm afraid so. The report says that there's too much animal DNA in your genome, you just aren't compatible with humans … if you could find another changeling like you, then that would be different."

The changeling heaved a huge sigh. "This blows … I haven't even told Mireya that I'm gonna be bald in about 10 years … how am I gonna tell her this? … She's told me that she wants to have kids, this could be a show stopper for us."

"If she really loves you, it won't matter." Raven droned in her monotone.

"Sure, why not?" He replied gloomily. "Every girl wants to marry a green guy with a receding hairline who shoots blanks."

Cyborg got up from his desk. "I'm sorry B; I wish I had good news … I gotta go fix the T-Car."

The tin man left without saying another word. The changeling looked sullenly at Raven, who sat as still as a statue. "So, we never could have had kids anyway."

"I'm sorry, Gar."

"Don't be, not about that, it's not your fault. If you want to apologize, be sorry for all the crap you actually did to me."

"I am … more than you can imagine."

He sighed. "So, how did your last visit with Dr. Midnight go?"

"It went well; he said that everything is looking good and that the baby is healthy."

He stood up to leave. "Sounds good … I gotta go, I'll catch you later …"

"Gar, wait … please. I have a favor I need to ask."

He gave her an impatient look. "No promises, but go ahead … ask."

Raven shifted uncomfortably in her chair. She bit her lower lip as she hesitated.

"I'm supposed to start taking classes, natural childbirth classes."

"Oh, you mean like Lamaze?"

"It's supposed to be something similar, but yeah, where you learn breathing techniques and other pain management techniques."

"Sounds good … so what do you need me for?"

"I … I need a partner." She stammered.

"What do you mean a partner?"

"I need someone to go through all the exercises with me."

"But that means … I would be with you when the time comes!"

"Yes, I will need a partner then."

"Ok … so what about the dad? Shouldn't this be Nightwing's job?"

"He's not interested."

"It's his damn kid! He should be interested."

"It doesn't matter."

"Why me, for heavens sake? What about Chrome Dome?"

"He doesn't have any time to spare. He's busy doing his job and Dick's old job."

The changeling stood up and began to pace around the room.

"It doesn't have to be a guy, right? What about Starfire … she could do it, right?"

"I already asked her. She can't."

"She can't? Why the hell not? She doesn't have any pressing duties."

"She can't … because she's leaving."

"She's what?" He shrieked.

"Galfore has fallen ill and can't rule anymore. Unless Starfire returns to Tamaran, Blackfire can show up and claim the throne."

"You gotta be kidding me? How come I haven't heard about this?"

"She just found out a few hours ago, she's going to make an official announcement later, at dinner … Gar, I really didn't want to ask, but … there's no one else … I can't ask the rookies."

He slammed his fist on a nearby table. "No way! I just found out I can't have kids … I'm not gonna hold your hand while you give birth to that asshole's kid!"

"But it's also my baby … Gar … I need you."

He made a sweeping crossing gesture with his arms. "No way! You're gonna have to find someone else."

"There is no one else. The classes start tonight, after dinner."

"And I have a date with my girlfriend … I'm sorry, Raven … but you're on your own."

Without waiting for a reply he stormed out of the infirmary and headed to his room. He slammed his door shut and plopped down on his bed and began to punch his pillow.

"What the hell is she thinking? … I have a life of my own, dammit … she's so damn smart and independent, what does she need me for, anyway?" He mumbled unhappily.

He sat back up on the edge of his bed, cradling his head in his hands.

Starfire was going to leave … just like that … was her cover story true? Or was this just an excuse to leave so she could forget about Nightwing?

He heaved a huge groan as he tried to calm himself down. He felt the indignation swell in his chest. Grayson had been good to steal Raven from him, sleep with her for almost a month and knock her up in the process … so where the hell was he now? Oh yeah, he has a "solo" career in Bludhaven, at least that's what the idiots on Superhero Magazine report every night. Nightwing busts a smuggling gang, Nightwing rescues hostages, Nightwing this, Nightwing that … how come they never report that he's a deadbeat dad to be? How come I have to hold Raven's hand while she pushes his brat out through her birth canal?

"Why couldn't it have been my kid?" He began to sob. "I hate you Grayson, I hate your fucking guts."

After crying for several minutes he regained his composure and washed his face, so that no one would know. He stared at his reflection in the mirror for a few more minutes, until he pulled out his cell phone and hit the speed dial.

"Babe? … Yeah, it's me … hey; can I get a rain check for tonight? … Something came up … it's Starfire … she's quitting the team … yeah, as in leaving and going back to Tamaran … thanks, I knew you'd understand … you're the best … OK … bye."

He tossed his phone on the bed. "I don't believe I'm doing this … I'm such a sap ... I'm giving up a night of sex with my girlfriend so I can take Raven and her bulge to some stupid Lamaze class."

He stood in front of the mirror again and raised his right hand over his forehead, forming an "L" with his thumb and index finger. "Get used to it, BB; you're a big fat loser."

_**-( scene break )-**_

The drive back from the community center where the class was being taught was a quiet one. Gar gave up counting how many times he had to tell other couples there that he wasn't the dad, that he was there just for moral support. The ladies always gushed and said how sweet he was, to step in to help a friend. He knew they meant well, but it took everything he had to not punch them out.

Starfire officially dropped her bomb that evening at dinner, and even though he knew it was coming he still felt a void in his gut. The princess had been a major part of his life for about ten years now and the thought of her being gone, ruling that shithole she called home, it made him feel sick.

"Gar … thanks for changing your mind … this means so much to me, I don't know how I'll ever be able to repay you."

"You don't have to … forget it … Raven, I haven't told Mireya that I'm doing this … she's gonna flip out when she finds out."

"Because you're helping a friend?"

"Who happens to be my ex." He retorted. "I don't like keeping secrets from her."

"Then tell her, I'm sure she'll understand."

"No, she won't … Raven, she feels threatened by you. She wants me to move in with her, just to get me out of the Tower and away from you."

"She's afraid that a pregnant woman who is carrying another man's child is going to steal her boyfriend from her?"

He glared at her as he pulled his car into the access tunnel for the island. "Don't act dumb Raven, it doesn't suit you. You know damn well that any woman feels threatened by her boyfriend's ex … but if I'm gonna be your Lamaze partner, then I have to come clean with her … and if she says no … then you're on your own … sorry."

"I understand." She replied as he pulled the car into his parking spot in the garage.

_**-( scene break )-**_

Without thinking the changeling found himself standing in front of Starfire's door. Cyborg told him that after dinner she excused herself and had been alone in her room the entire evening. He raised his hand and knocked gently on the door.

"Star, are you OK?"

The sliding door opened and she grabbed him, yanking him into the room as the door slid shut behind him. He could see that she had already stripped her walls bare and had been packing her weird alien suitcases. She wrapped her arms around him and held him tight.

The news she shared earlier that evening at dinner was heartbreaking. Galfore had been diagnosed with a form of Tamaranian cancer for which there was no cure, and physicians on Tamaran only gave him a few months to live. Blackfire had already appeared and was laying claim to the throne as Grand Ruler of Tamaran. Starfire had no choice other than to return home.

She released him from her hug and she cupped his green face with her orange palm.

"I wish you could stay, I'm gonna miss you, Star, I'm gonna miss you a lot."

"What is the Earthly saying? Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown? I have a duty to my people Garfield, I have no choice … I must return to Tamaran."

"What will you do there?"

"I will rule, and eventually I will select a member of the extended Royal Family to be my consort."

"How will you pick him? Will you date? Will you fall in love?"

She shook her head. "For the Grand Ruler, such luxury of choice does not exist. I will select a nobleman of a strong house and through our marriage we will make the crown even more resilient. His political clout will be added to my own to make me an even more effective ruler."

"What about love?"

"For ordinary Tamaranians, it is a way of life, but the Grand Ruler serves the people, at least that is how it is supposed to be, my sister be damned. My emotional needs are irrelevant. I have a duty to my people, which I will serve until my dying breath."

"That sucks! What about you? Don't you deserve to at least once make love with a man you care about? A man you're in love with?"

"As the Grand Ruler I do not have that right … but tonight I am not the Grand Ruler … not yet."

He suddenly had a suspicious and wary look on his face. "Star … what are you saying?"

"Garfield, for tonight, will you be my betrothed?"

"Wait … did I hear that right? And did you say 'for tonight'?"

"Yes, I did say that. Once I am crowned Grand Ruler our betrothal would become null and void because you are an alien … but right now I am not the Grand Ruler, which means that I can choose any male to be my betrothed and I choose you. My dear and sweet friend … will you accept my offer?"

He gulped. "But Star … I have a girlfriend."

"Is she your betrothed? Have you promised yourself to her?"

He tugged at his collar. "Well … not really." He replied as Rita's words about fidelity not being implied rang in his ears. "I mean, I haven't asked Mireya to marry me, if that's what you're asking."

"Then you are the available … my friend … will you accept my offer?"

"Is it necessary? I thought you said that casual sex is acceptable and …"

"I do not desire the casual sex … will you be my betrothed or not?" She asked in a dangerous tone. "Answer me now!"

"But what about Mireya? I can't cheat on her."

"You're destiny is not with her. Tell her if you wish, or do not and enjoy her company until your time with her is over."

"Star, if my destiny isn't with her, then who is it with?"

"Garfield, we both know the answer to that question, but tonight it does not matter as you are not ready to receive her and you won't be for a very long time."

The changeling considered her offer. His first thought was that it would be a great way to get even with Grayson.

"What about Nightwing, I thought he was your true love, that you were engaged to him?"

"He is dead to me. I do not love him anymore. And while I was engaged to him in the Earthly tradition, he was never my betrothed. I wish for you to have that honor, so that in the years ahead I will be able to remember the one sweet night that I shared with you."

He smiled at her. "I can do this, but only because you don't love him anymore. So … does that mean that you really love me?"

"Yes, I do."

"I accept."

"Then it is done."

It was a night that he later wrote about in his memoirs, without revealing her identity or race or that he morphed into an alien to be compatible with her. He was a gentleman after all, and it wouldn't be polite to tell the world that he once banged a Princess of Tamaran. Plus he didn't want his wife to know either.

Even if it had been the best sex he ever experienced.


	36. Mark Roth

The morning rays slipped in between the crack between the drapes, falling on the bed where the green and orange Titans slept together. He was back in his human form, resting quietly, spooning the alien girl who remained sound asleep. He had a few scratches on his body, courtesy of her long and feline like fingernails.

He knew that last night's experience was one he would never forget. Morphing into a Tamaranian was memorable enough, performing the coital act had been simply mind blowing. But that was not what was on his mind. While Starfire reached her "all is well with the universe" state of mind after they achieved their simultaneous orgasms, he did not, for there was a single thought, running over and over through his mind.

_I'm no better than she is._

He got up and out of the bed, slipping on his uniform pants. Starfire continued to snooze and he leaned over and pecked her on the cheek.

"You are leaving already?" She murmured in a drowsy voice.

"I'm afraid so … when are you taking off today?"

"Galfore is sending a ship to collect me, word has got out that the Gordanians will try to capture me if I am to return unescorted."

He kissed her tenderly on the lips. "We wouldn't want that to happen."

"No, it would be … unpleasant … I will miss you, my beloved. If you do decide to tell Mireya about last night … tell her that I am sorry."

A sad expression crossed his face. "I think it might be better if she never knows, if no one ever knows." The words burned on his lips, as if accusing him. He could almost hear Grayson laughing in the background.

"Yes, that would perhaps be best, for you … and for me. No one on Tamaran needs to know that for one day an Earthling was a prince of Tamaran."

"I wish you didn't have to leave …"

"As do I … Garfield, if I were to stay, what would you do?"

"I would dump her and be with you … Star … I … I feel like a sack of crap … I'm a hypocrite."

"You are not betrothed to her; you are still able to end your relationship with her without providing a reason."

"I should end it … it's the only honest thing to do."

"That is your choice, my beloved. As I have said before, I believe that your relationship with her will end of its own accord and that she will be the one who will end it."

"You seem pretty sure about that."

"I am … now go … I will see you later, before I leave."

He morphed into a bee and disappeared into the ventilation duct.

_**-( scene break )-**_

Grayson was busy getting ready for the night's patrol, packing his utility belt with the usual arsenal of bird-a-rangs, grappling guns and other gadgets. The TV was on and Superhero Magazine was on.

"_In tonight's top story, the Titan known as Starfire has resigned from her team and is returning to the planet Tamaran in the nearby Vega star system, where she will be crowned the Grand Ruler of Tamaran, replacing …"_

Nightwing stopped packing his belt and moved closer to the TV. While the narrator continued to prattle he saw some live video footage from the Tower's rooftop. He sat down and watched.

His former teammates were present. Raven tried to remain hidden under her cape, but it was windy that afternoon and heavy gusts made her cape billow. While it wasn't obvious to the casual observer, Grayson noticed a slight bulge in her abdomen. To the anyone else it might look as if the gray Titan had gained a little weight, but he knew better than that. Raven never put on weight.

There was also a stranger with them, a policewoman in uniform. He saw that she had a Sergeant's chevron on her sleeve. Was she someone the city had sent to send Starfire off?

As the narrator continue to talk, recounting the Tamaranian's illustrious career with the Teen Titans a strange looking shuttle craft landed on the rooftop. Its design had a curious organic shape, with fish like fins on it. It was Tamaranian, of course. Four burly orange skinned guards, armed with ceremonial pikes, emerged from the shuttle and took their honor guard positions next to the hatch.

Grayson continued to watch as the farewells began. Cyborg was the first to say goodbye. They exchanged a warm and affectionate hug, patting each other on the back. She and Raven also exchanged a hug and held hands as they faced each other and exchanged words. Grayson read the princess's lips, and she was promising Raven that she would visit after the baby was born.

Starfire then shook hands with the policewoman and wished her well.

Garfield came last. The princess wrapped her arms around him tightly and kissed him several times on the cheek, which he reciprocated. As Grayson watched something interesting happened. With her arms wrapped around the changeling she looked into the camera and caressed his ear.

Grayson bolted to his feet, his fists clenched and trembling. He knew well what that gesture meant. It was the way she always began foreplay when they were a couple. She never caressed him or anyone else like that in public. She was sending him a message, a very obvious one. Her final send off to him was a very subtle "fuck you".

"Go ahead, rub it in my face." He grumbled as he watched her board the shuttle.

He shut off the TV and strapped on his utility belt. After opening a window he fired his grappling gun. Before leaping out into the night he looked back at now inactive TV.

"Looks like you got even with me, Logan … except you got away with it."

_**-( scene break )-**_

Mireya silently fumed as she watched her boyfriend hug and kiss the princess. Her face did not betray her displeasure, though she was going to have some choice words with him later. As she continued to watch, a gravelly monotone broke the silence.

"I believe I'm supposed to be one you're to worry about."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm his ex, remember? I slept with him for five years. We were engaged. Starfire is just a friend, a very close friend, but not a lover."

"Don't think for a moment that I'm not keeping a close eye on you …but, they do seem very cozy with each other though."

"You have no idea of all that we Titans have been through together over the years; you couldn't even begin to understand …"

"She didn't kiss Cyborg."

"Yes … I noticed that as well … what can I say? He's a babe magnet, one that's hanging from your fridge at the moment in case you've forgotten."

"Is this the part where you're gonna threaten to take him back from me?"

Raven rubbed her midsection with her palm. "At this point in time, it's highly unlikely that I could pull that off. Just don't get too comfortable with him … you might think he's yours, but he's not, he never will be."

As they waved goodbye to the princess, Mireya replied. "That's what you think, witch."

"I could turn you into a toad and be done with you."

The policewoman gave her an alarmed look. "Can you really do that?"

The shuttle had taken off and was flying away.

"Maybe." She replied in her monotone before she phased into the floor and disappeared.

Garfield stepped up next to his girlfriend.

"Was she really your fiancée? She's scary and creepy."

"Yeah, she was my fiancée, and yeah, she is scary beyond reason."

"Someday you'll have to explain to me what you saw in her … but right now, we need to talk."

He nodded, "Yeah, we do … there's a few things I need to tell you."

_**-( scene break )-**_

As soon as the mechanical door to his room slid shut, she took off her uniform hat and crossed her arms.

"Care to explain to me what that was about?"

He noticed that she had her standard issue police laser pistol holstered at her side.

"Uh … what was what about?"

"She couldn't keep her hands off of you."

He shrugged. "Star's like that, she's kind of … you know … touchy feely. Likes to hug everyone."

"She didn't kiss Cyborg. Why not?"

"I don't know …" His mind raced, searching for an answer she would accept. "Maybe because we share a common bond?"

"And what would that be?"

"Raven and Nightwing …"

Mireya's face fell. "Oh … I didn't think of that … I'm sorry … you said you had something to tell me."

He pulled out a chair for her, gesturing her to sit down. After she did he did the same.

"I'm afraid I have some bad news …"

"You're dumping me … you're going back to the witch, aren't you?" She panicked.

He rose from his chair. "What? No! I'm not!"

She heaved a huge sigh. "OK … that's a relief … so, what it then?"

"Look, some time ago, Star travelled to the future and saw me there … I'm gonna be bald in about 10 years …"

Mireya burst out laughing. "That's it!? That's your bad news?"

"Hey, it's a big deal for me … and no, that's not it, there's more."

"Let me guess, you're gonna have erectile dysfunction too? You do know that they have pills for that?"

His expression changed to somber. "If it was only that … I just found out yesterday that I'll never have kids of my own … it turns out that I'm shooting blanks."

This time she leaped out from her chair. "No way! Are you sure?"

"Positive … the tests came back from Star Labs."

"What about … you know … fertility treatments?"

"I'm fertile, my problem is that I'm incompatible … I have too much animal DNA in me." He replied as he dropped his head. She wrapped her arms around him.

"Oh … Garfield … that's terrible news."

"It is … look, I know that having kids is important to you, so if …"

"No, don't even think about it … I'm not dumping you over that."

"Are you sure? I wouldn't blame you if you did."

She stepped back and held him by his shoulders. "Gar, you are a sweet, kind and loving man. And you're always honest with me."

_That's a lie._ He reminded himself.

"We'll find another way, we can adopt or maybe Star Labs can do some gene splicing and inseminate me artificially. But I'm not letting you go, not for this."

"I don't know Mireya, I … I can't ask that of you."

"Don't be stupid. This isn't a show stopper, not even close."

"Really?"

"Really. So how about we get out of here and go do something fun? I'm officially off duty now."

"Sure, but before we go ... I have some more bad news."

"More? You gotta be kidding me. I'm afraid to ask."

"It's about Raven."

Mireya's expression soured. "Your ex? Gar … whatever this is about, I already don't like it."

"It's not what you're thinking." He raised his apologetically.

"Then what is it?" She glared.

"Raven needs a Lamaze partner and …"

"WHAT!?"

"A Lamaze partner, you know … natural childbirth?"

"I know what Lamaze is! What I don't know is why did you volunteer to do this? Where the hell is Nightwing anyway?"

"Somewhere in Bludhaven? He isn't gonna do it, and I didn't volunteer. Hell, I don't want to it."

"Can't someone else do it? Gar, she's your damn ex!"

"I know, I know! There's no one else available. Star would have done it, but she had to leave … babe, I'm sorry, I really am."

The policewoman slapped herself on the forehead.

"So you're gonna be playing hubby with your ex while she gives birth to Nightwing's brat?"

"Actually, it's a boy … Dr. Midnight did an ultrasound the last time, at least that's what Rae told me."

"Rae? I didn't know you still called her by a pet name."

"Oh come on, I've been calling her that since I was like 15 … there's no one else available, I don't want to do it either, but we can't leave her in a lurch."

She poked him in the chest. "You do realize that you aren't over her, not by a long shot? That's why you're doing this."

"Not over her? She cheated on me!"

"And you wouldn't have been affected so much if you weren't in love with her … Gar … it took me months to get over my ex after I divorced him. And even though he used me in a sham marriage, I still have feelings for him … so don't deny it, you still care about her."

"Ok … maybe I do … but just as a friend … I'm so sorry babe … if there was anyone else available …"

She raised her hand in a dismissive gesture. "It's OK … she's damn lucky … but you watch it! She's pretty much told that she planning on winning you back."

"Yeah, right. I'm gonna dump you for my ex who cheated on me twice and has another dude's bun in her oven."

"Stranger things have happened. I'm a cop, I've seen them."

"It's not gonna happen, so just relax."

Mireya's posture did indeed relax. "So … what other bad news do you have for me?"

He paused, feeling a heavy lump in his gut. Images from the night before appeared before him, he could see himself, morphed into a Tamaranian, as he thrusted his manhood into her over and over while she screamed her approval.

"That's it."

"Good, I've had my fill of bad news tonight … did I tell you that you're buying me dinner? And you're taking me somewhere really expensive too."

"I am?" He asked.

"You bet your green ass you are." She smiled. "Of course, you're coming home with me afterwards." She smiled seductively.

_**-( scene break )-**_

_About five months later …_

Things had gone smoothly for Changeling and the Titans in general. The scrubs were approaching graduation day and a new Tower was being built for them in the middle of San Francisco bay, on an artificial island. The entire project was being funded by Silicon Valley tycoons and was spearheaded by a very flamboyant billionaire who was better know for buying entire Hawaiian islands and racing yachts.

The old trio was to stay behind in Jump, in the original tower. The newbies had already picked their leader: Wonder Girl. They would be taking the name "Teen Titans" with them and what was left of the original group would be known simply as the "Titans". Cyborg was putting out feelers to the extended Titans family to see if anyone was interested in moving into the Tower. So far there were no takers, though Wally West, the former Kid Flash and his current squeeze, an archer named Artemis, had expressed some mild interest at one time.

The morning was quiet in Mireya Becerril's condo. She was off duty that day and she and her lover were still slumbering in her bed when his communicator trilled.

"Does it have to play that annoying song? Can't you … like download new ringtones for it?" Mireya complained while keeping her eyes screwed shut.

"It's not a mobile phone." He grumbled as he reached for his communicator.

He flipped it open and saw Cyborg's grinning face.

"Dude, it's not even seven yet, why'd you wake us up."

"Babies don't care about the time, Grass Stain; they just arrive when they're good and ready."

"What? You mean he's coming?" He shrieked as he sat up in the bed.

"She just broke her water. She's only dilated 2 cm, so you got time to get ready … just don't take too long."

"I'll be there ASAP!" He shouted before flipping the communicator shut.

"I gotta go, babe!"

She also sat up. "Finally, now I won't have to share you with her anymore." She complained as he hastily got dressed. "And don't forget to morph before you leave."

"I'm getting tired of sneaking in and out of here. We've been sleeping together for months, why are you still hiding this from your parents?"

"Gar, you know why … if they found out, they would be hurt. I don't like keeping secrets but in this case I will … haven't you ever kept something a secret from someone because you wanted to spare them the pain, even though it was killing you to keep that secret from them?"

_Oh mais oui! Do I ever!_

"I understand, babe, I do. I just think that you're ashamed of me or something. I've only met your folks twice, and I got bad vibes from them … is it because I'm green?"

"No, it's not that." She replied as she slipped her nightgown back on.

"Then why? I'm a super hero, or were they hoping you'd date another cop?"

"You aren't Catholic."

"Does that really matter?"

"To them it does, they're very traditional and old fashioned. If they knew we're sleeping together … they'd probably sell the house and use the money to hire Slade to kill you."

"Very funny." He remarked as he slipped his shoes on. "I'll call you later."

He morphed into a bird and flew out a window.

_**-( scene break )-**_

Raven was already in stirrups when Changeling arrived in the infirmary and Dr. Midnight was changed into his scrubs, though his cowl remained in place.

"She's advanced quickly, she's fully dilated and the contractions are close. You got here just in time, Green Bean." Cyborg greeted him.

He ran to Raven's side and took her hand.

"How are you?"

"I'm scared … but I'm glad you're here …."

She suddenly grimaced.

"Contraction?" He asked.

"What do you think?" She replied between clenched teeth as she tried the breathing techniques. She squeezed his hand so hard he thought it would explode. Finally the contraction had mercifully passed.

"Why does this have to hurt so much?"

"I'm just a guy, I don't have a clue." He replied. "But I'm here; you don't have to do this alone."

The doctor was sitting at the other end, looking dispassionately at Raven's exposed crotch.

"The baby's head has crowned. This is it, when the next contraction starts, I want you to push." The doctor ordered.

She looked at Garfield. "Whatever you do, stay with me … please don't leave."

"I wouldn't miss this for the world."

It didn't take long for the next contraction to arrive.

"Push, Raven, push!" Midnight bellowed.

Ravens innards felt as if they were being ripped apart, but she pushed. She gripped Gar's hand and threw her head back, and screamed in pain.

"You can do it, Rae, I know you can. Hang in there!"

"He's out!" Dr. Midnight shouted. Within a few seconds a baby's cries filled the room. Raven's body relaxed and she began to cry.

Gar leaned over and gently kissed Raven on the lips. "You did it, Rae, you're a mom now."

"I can't see him." She whimpered.

"Just a minute, I'm cleaning him." Midnight remarked.

Gar stood up and looked. The child was gray skinned with a tuft of raven black hair on his otherwise bald head.

"He's perfect, Rae, he's beautiful."

The doctor then wrapped the baby in a receiving blanket and handed him to his mother. Tears of joy dripped down Raven's face as she kissed her baby for the first time and Garfield wiped away a few tears of his own.

"You haven't told us his name."

She locked eyes with her ex-fiancé. "His name is Mark."

"But … that's my middle name."

"You weren't expecting me to name him after his father?"

He shook his head. "Of course not … Mark's a good name … Mark Roth, it has a nice ring to it."

Midnight placed a pair of surgical scissors into the changeling's hands.

"Hey doc, what's this for?"

"Normally the father gets to cut the umbilical cord, but since you did all the hard work and he isn't here, I think that honor belongs to you, that is unless Raven objects."

"I have no objections." She replied as she continued to kiss her newborn.

"Uh … where do I cut?"

"Right here." The doctor held up a section of the cord. The scissors worked their way through the gristly tissue and the ceremonial task was soon accomplished.

"I couldn't have done it without you, Gar."

_**-( scene break )-**_

_Bludhaven … later that day …_

Nightwing frowned as his patience was beginning to wear thin. He had been watching a warehouse for over an hour, waiting for a shipment of drugs that was supposed to have arrived long ago. It was the usual scene, a dilapidated warehouse in a nearly vacant district. There was single dim light shining inside the building and with his binoculars he would occasionally see some movement inside. They were probably feeling just as restless as he was.

It was a moonless night, which cut both ways as the darkness not only made him invisible but it also made it hard for him to see as well, not that he needed to use his eyes. The lessons he learned long ago with the True Master would serve him well tonight.

Patience, or the lack of, was one thing for which the old woman always reprimanded him. And tonight he was feeling especially antsy. He pulled out his Batclan communicator and keyed it up.

"Oracle here."

"Where are the damn trucks?"

"They're stuck in a traffic jam. There was an accident on the interstate. They aren't moving, both the real trucks and the decoys. You're gonna have to wait, Circus Boy."

"I'm gonna be stuck here waiting all night."

"You got anything better to do? Oh, by the way … some news came in; it should be of interest to you."

"What is it? A new gang move into town?"

"No, nothing like that … I just got a message from Cyborg … your son was born this morning. He's healthy. Raven named him Mark."

"She named him after Logan?"

"That's what it sounds like … so … are you at least gonna call her?"

He paused before answering.

"I'll think about it … Nightwing out."


	37. Do You Trust Me?

_A few months later …_

"I'm sorry babe, I can't see you tonight …"

"_Gar, we haven't seen each other for over a week."_

"Hey … I can't help it if we've been having so many missions. Just be glad we got a nanny for the baby now, otherwise it would just be me and Cy handling everything. The scrubs graduated, they left for San Francisco."

"_We got a nanny? You talk about that kid like he was your own."_

"Oh come on, babe, don't be like that."

"_Be like what? I swear Gar; you spend more time with her than you do with me."_

"That's not true and you know it."

"_Oh really? Who did you have dinner with last night?"_

"The team always eats dinner together."

"_And who did you watch TV with? And who did you help bathe her little brat?"_

He removed the phone from his face as sighed.

"I didn't help her bathe Mark. I just ran out to get her some baby supplies for her. Look, I'm way behind on my duties here …"

Cyborg, who was nearby in the kitchen, had been eavesdropping on the conversation. He walked up to his friend and whispered.

"Go see your lady tonight, I'll cover for you."

The changeling whispered back. "Thanks, I owe you one."

"Good news, Cy's gonna cover for me, I'm on my way right now."

"_Ok … I'll be waiting."_

_**-( scene break )-**_

As usual, the changeling, in the form of a sparrow, flew in through an open window and landed on the kitchen floor, where he resumed his human form. She was sitting at her kitchen table, wearing her usual jeans and t-shirt. She had an odd expression on her face, one that he had never seen before. She looked blank, as if she was holding something back.

"I made it!" He smiled. "So what do you wanna do? Catch a movie? Dinner?"

She didn't smile back at him.

"Gar … sit down."

"You're pissed … look … you have every right to be upset … things have been hectic at the Tower, for a while it was just me and Cyborg chasing all the bad guys, but now that we've got a nanny, Raven's helping again …"

She raised her hand, silencing him.

"We need to be honest with each other."

"Honest? What do you mean?"

"Things have been different between us, and not just recently. Ever since Starfire left and you became Raven's birthing partner you've felt … I don't know … distant? I was hoping that once Raven had her baby that things would get back to normal … but they haven't, in fact it's worse than ever. You never have any time for us."

"That's going to change. I promise."

"Will it? Gar … something's going on, I can tell … are you sleeping with your ex?"

"What? No! Of course not! Why would I do that?"

"You tell me … the last time we slept together was 6 weeks ago, and you didn't feel like you were there."

"Yeah, I know, I've had a lot on my mind."

"Then why haven't you talked with me about it?"

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because … it's … private." He stammered.

She leaned back in her chair.

"Gar, this relationship hasn't been easy for me lately; in fact it's become a real pain in the ass. My folks don't like you; they keep asking me if I'm sleeping with you and lately I don't even have to lie to them, not that they believe me. They don't like that you aren't Hispanic or Catholic. They want me to see other guys. My brothers aren't crazy about you either, and you never have time for us and when you do, you feel like you're somewhere else … and now you're keeping secrets from me?"

"Mireya, please … be patient with me."

She shook her head. "I know you're sleeping with Raven, you have to be. It's the only explanation."

"I'm not … I swear!"

"Then who the hell are you thinking about when you're with me!?"

He pursed his lips.

"Mireya, I'm sorry … I cheated on you … I had a one night stand. But it wasn't with Raven."

"I should have known … so, I wasn't enough for you then?"

"No of course not, you're more than enough."

"Then why?" She asked in a deadpan monotone.

"I … I don't know." He stammered. _Oh God, where have I heard that before?_

"You don't know? … Well … at least now I know why you've been so distant."

"Will you forgive me?"

Tears began to well in her eyes.

"I know you didn't have to tell me … but … no … I can't forgive you."

"So … this means … that we're through?" His voice began to break up.

She nodded sadly. "Yeah, we are, but to be honest I was going to break up with you anyway, I'm ... I'm seeing a guy my brother introduced to me, it's nothing serious yet, but who knows? Your confession just made it … easier to dump you."

"I'm sorry Mireya."

"So am I … Gar, go back to Raven and work things out with her. It's more than obvious that you aren't over her ... I don't think you'll ever get over her."

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know … I would, but how do I know I can trust her again?"

"You'll have to figure that out on your own … I wish that things had worked out between us, because you're a great guy, but … you're just not the right guy for me …"

She locked eyes with him.

"I think it's time for you to leave … goodbye, Garfield."

He turned to the window. "Yeah … goodbye."

He morphed into a bird and flew away.

_**-( scene break )-**_

Changeling flew without thinking, aimlessly traversing the city after morphing into a condor. His heart felt heavy and he had no desire to return to the Tower, at least not for a while. He still couldn't believe she dumped him with no warning, and even worse, she had a replacement for him already lined up. One her parents would approve of, no doubt a good Catholic boy, maybe even a fellow cop. And of course he wouldn't be a freak, certainly not a green half man, half animal who shot blanks.

He let his negative thoughts drift away and instead chose to enjoy surfing the thermals. While Starfire and Raven used their superpowers to achieve flight, he had to rely on wings: skin, bone and muscle to soar over the city's sky, but he would have it no other way. Neither solar energy nor magic would propel him through the heavens; he would do it the way God intended. Or at least the way He intended it for green changelings.

After gliding around for a few hours he was ready to head home, wondering what he would tell them. As he changed his course, flapping his huge wings on occasion so they generated a little extra lift, he looked down. Night had already fallen and he saw a crowd gathering in front of a building in the clubbing district, one that wasn't that far from the disco where Blackfire had taken them so many years ago. With his sharp avian eyes he could see that a fight had broken out between a two groups of men who had let their testosterone get the best of them.

He banked to his right and went into a steep dive, swooping down and landing between the two factions, resuming his human form.

"OK, guys, let's all calm down, there's no need to fight." He announced as he raised his hands in a calming gesture.

"Mind your own business, weirdo!" One of the hoodlums shouted.

Gar frowned upon hearing the insult. "Do you have any idea of who I am?"

"You're a green freak!" Another thug shouted.

"Let's get him!" A third tough shouted.

In an unspoken truce the two bands stopped fighting each other and instead charged at the changeling. Gar grinned maliciously and bent forward as he began to transform. By the time the combined gang reached him, he had transformed into a Tyrannosaurus Rex. The vegetarian carnosaur raised its head and bellowed a deafening roar. The combined thugs, who numbered about twenty altogether stopped dead in their tracks, petrified looks plastered on their faces. The T-Rex snorted, steam coming out of his nostrils and the attacking throng turned tail and fled in every direction and were soon gone.

As the changeling resumed his human form a crowd of observers, many who had come out of the building to watch the ensuing fracas, began to applaud and cheer. Garfield grinned and waved, he had learned how to work a crowd over the years. As he continued to wave a shapely red head ran to him and kissed him on the cheek. Things were starting to look up.

"You wanna dance?" She asked him, gesturing at the building.

He hadn't even looked at it. The marquee above the entrance identified it as "The Meet Market". Gar had heard of the place, it was a spot that Mireya and her crew often covered. The Meet Market was known in town as a place to pick up one night stands. At least that worked for the good looking or moneyed guys. It was also a place where more ordinary guys could pick up hookers. Mireya had busted more than a few Johns going undercover in there over the years. She was so good at busting them that she got promoted to Sergeant. Mireya was smart and was a good cop, but it also helped that she had smoking hot body when hoodwinking prospective customers.

The red head on Gar's arm was cute, but there was something about her that his animal senses didn't like.

"Thanks, but I need to get going." He replied in a reluctant tone.

"Aw c'mon, don't you superheroes ever have a good time?" She asked, tugging on his arm. "I can be a lot of fun."

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry, nothing personal, it's just that this isn't my kind of place."

She released his arm and glared at him. "Oh, so you're too good for us, huh, superhero?"

"No, that's not what I meant." He interjected.

"Take a hike, freak, we don't need your kind here! Go back to your Tower!" Another voice shouted. Others joined in and began to hurl insults at him.

Gar turned and walked away. He raised his right hand and gave them the bird. The crowd began to jeer as he morphed into a bird and flew away.

_**-( scene break )-**_

Raven was sitting on the couch, nursing her baby when the changeling stormed into the common room. Without even acknowledging her he sat down and turned on the game console and began to play.

"Is something wrong?" She asked in her old school, gravelly monotone.

He tossed the game controller aside and huffed. "Do you really want to know?"

"Obviously something is wrong, and yes, I want to know. We are friends, after all."

He leaned forward, propping his chin on hands.

"I just got dumped."

Raven waited a moment before responding.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Are you? I thought you didn't like her."

"I've never liked her, but she broke your heart, and for that I'm sorry."

"You wanna know why she dumped me? … She said that I'm still in love with you."

"Are you?"

"Of course I am, and you know it. Do you even need to ask?"

"And she dumped you just because of that?"

"Her folks don't like me."

"My father doesn't like you either, but that never stopped me."

"Cute … anyway, she said that I've been distant, ever since I started being your birthing partner. She never said it, but I think it pissed her off that you named your son after me."

Raven kept a blank face, while some of her emotions in Nevermore were doing cartwheels.

"I'm surprised that she wasn't willing to work things out with you. You mean you didn't even try to talk her out of it?"

He groaned unhappily. "There was something else."

"What do you mean?"

"Well … I cheated on her."

"You did what?"

"I cheated on her! I had a one night stand."

Raven was bug eyed. "Well … that's unexpected. How did she find out?"

"I told her."

"You did? Why? Was she about to find out?"

He stood up and began to pace around.

"Nah, she never would have found out. It was the perfect cheat."

"I still don't understand why you …"

"I told her because I felt like crap. I dumped you because you cheated on me. How could I do that to her and not be hypocrite?"

"You took a big chance by telling her."

"I know, and I lost … oh, who am I kidding? It was already over."

"Why did you cheat? Were you unhappy with her?"

"No, I wasn't … I really don't know why I did it, I guess I just wanted to … and don't say it, Raven … I know that's what you told me."

"I wasn't going to say that, but I do know now why I did it."

"You do?"

"Yes … I felt that I didn't deserve you, that I was a filthy demon and you were way too good for me."

"So you're saying that you sabotaged our relationship to screw yourself?"

Raven pulled Mark away from her breast and gently burped him. "In a nutshell, yes. Unfortunately, I also broke your heart in the process."

He crossed his arms and leaned back on the couch. "So, that's what your shrink told you, that you hate yourself?"

"No, he doesn't tell me anything. We just talk and I figure things out for myself. He'll help me identify behaviors and thought processes, but in the end I'm the one who figures it all out."

"Couldn't you just figure that out in Nevermore?"

"No, not really. I have no one in Nevermore to guide me. And all I really used Nevermore for was to suppress my emotions, which is what got me into trouble to begin with."

"But what about your powers? Don't you have to control your emotions or you'll lose control of your powers?"

"Control them? Yes. Suppress them? No. I'll probably never visit Nevermore again."

"Dude … this Stephen Dunn; he sounds like he knows what he's doing."

"He's been a great help. I'm not close to being healed, but I've come a long way already."

The changeling smiled at her. "So, you don't hate yourself anymore. Right?"

"Actually … I still do."

"But why? It's not your fault that you're half demon."

"I don't hate myself because of my heritage. I hate myself … because I hurt you."

"Raven … you know that I've forgiven you for that."

Little Mark cooed as his mother rocked him to sleep.

"You want to forgive me, but have you really forgiven me?"

"What? What kind of question is that?"

"Have you really forgiven me?"

"Yes! Dammit! I have."

Mark flinched at the changeling's outburst. "Sorry."

"It's OK; he'll fall back asleep in a minute."

Raven looked up at him and locked eyes with her ex.

"OK, so you've forgiven me … come sleep with me tonight."

He gave her a stern look. "Raven, we've been over this before … there's no way we can be friends with benefits, not after all we've been through."

"I'm not asking you to be my friend with benefits."

"Then what are you asking?"

"I'm asking you to be my boyfriend again."

He gasped upon hearing her words. "Are you serious? You want to reconcile, just like that?"

"Gar, we've been reconciling for about a year now. We can't undo what happened in the past. What I can do is be sorry for what I did and resolve to not make those same mistakes again. What it does boil down to is one simple question: Do you trust me?"

"How do I know that I can trust you?"

"You don't, I also don't know if I can trust you, now that I know you aren't above cheating. But I am willing to trust you anyway, because being with you means so much to me. There is no one in the whole world I would rather share my life with. So … will you trust me?"

He looked away from her, with a slight tremor in his jaw.

"Gar, I know that our first five years together weren't the best, in fact, they were terrible. But we're different people now. I'd like to think that the next five years will be much better."

He walked to huge picture windows and stared out at the city. It was dark outside and the city's lights were coming to life.

"Sooo … we just get back together as if nothing had happened?" He asked with a strong hint of skepticism in his voice.

Raven looked down at her son. "Much has happened since then, I won't pretend that I never did those terrible things. I will carry them with me for the rest of my life."

Gar walked back to the couch and looked at young Mark. He cupped his scalp with his hand. "There's nothing terrible about him."

"Thank you, hearing you say that means a great deal to me … I guess what I am trying to say is that we start over, from scratch."

"So … we wouldn't resume our engagement?"

"No, that would be premature … it was premature back then, it was really an act of desperation on my part, I was afraid I would lose you again … and I did anyway. We need to work our way back to that. And I wouldn't dream of asking you to marry me until I'm done with my therapy."

The changeling looked lost in thought. Was this a good idea? He was clearly on the rebound and she was offering him an easy way back in. But was he really on the rebound? This was the woman he had known for 10 years; he shared a bed with her for five. They had saved each other's live countless times, often placing themselves at mortal risk. On the other hand she had cheated on him not once, but twice. Sure, she was in therapy and getting better, but she was still what one might call "high maintenance". But then he asked himself the question of questions, the one question that really mattered.

**Can I live without her?**

He turned and faced her again, gazing into her indigo colored eyes, feeling lost in them.

The answer to the question was obvious.

"Your place or mine?" He replied.

"How about 'our place'?"

He leaned forward and gently pulled her into a kiss.

"Our place sounds good to me."

_**-( scene break )-**_

The unusual couple lay together in their bed; their naked bodies spooned together with his green hand resting on her gray hip. They both snored softly in the peaceful darkness of the room, until the tranquility was pierced by an infant's cry.

They both rustled as they woke up. The changeling sat up first, but felt his mate's small hand on his shoulder, gently pulling him back down. "He's my responsibility, not yours. Go back to sleep, I've got it under control."

His first instinct was to protest, to insist on helping her, but for some reason he complied and put his head back on the pillow. She pecked him tenderly on the lips before getting up and covering her naked form with a robe.

Garfield watched her, resting on his side, as she changed the infant's diaper, whispering softly to her son who had stopped crying. Once she was done she sat down on a rocking chair to nurse him and began to hum a strange yet beautiful lullaby, it was probably Azarathian, he reasoned.

He closed his eyes as he listened to her hum while she rocked on her chair. He pondered the implication of what had happened in the past few hours. He had just made love with the only woman he ever truly loved, a woman who had betrayed him twice, once with a former best friend and she was nursing that guy's son. He should be angry and offended. By all rights he should just get up and leave, and never look back.

He rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling.

"**So why I am so happy?"**


	38. The Dark Knight Speaks

With no warning, it began to rain. A hard and cold rain, one that made the so called "winter storms" back in Jump City seem like a tropical shower by comparison. Streets became deserted as everyone stayed indoors, both citizens and criminals, neither was interested in braving the inclement weather. It also didn't help that the Bludhaven Bombers were playing the Cowboys in Dallas on Monday Night Foodball.

Nightwing stood at his perch on top of the 60 story tall Bludhaven National Bank, gazing upon his water soaked domain. The only sound he could hear was the staccato noise of the heavy raindrops that pounded on both him and the skyscraper's rooftop. What was absent tonight was the symphony of sirens that played every evening, with him standing like an orchestra conductor, guiding the ebb and flow of crime with his escrima sticks.

His Nomex suit kept him warm and dry but it didn't matter, the night was a bust. There were no petty criminals to apprehend and he had no leads on any organized crime activities either.

He looked up at the sky, as if challenging it to cease raining. As he stared, a small opening appeared and he was able to see a few stray stars through it. He immediately recognized the brightest one in the group: Vega, the star around which orbited the planet Tamaran. It was of course light years away, but he almost felt as if he could reach out and grab it.

Bitterness began to swell in his gut, consuming him as if it was an ulcer. He could taste its vile flavor in his mouth. He continued to gaze at Vega, until the clouds moved and it was once again hidden from his view, reminding him that he would never see her again. She was the Grand Ruler of an alien world, and already had wealthy, prominent and good looking suitors lined up to ask her for her hand.

It was best to forget about her.

He pumped his arms and his winglets popped out. There was no point staying on patrol anymore, it was time to go home. With his arms spread he approached the ledge and prepared to leap into the void.

"Leaving so soon?"

Grayson stumbled and almost tripped over the ledge. He recovered his balance and whirled around, fists clenched.

"Must you always do that?"

A tall and dark figure emerged from the shadows.

"I'm surprised that you don't." The man wearing the cowl replied.

"I'm not like you, Bruce … what are you doing here anyway? Bludhaven is my turf."

"I came to talk with you."

"I thought we weren't talking anymore and that you had disowned me."

"Alfred's convinced me to change my mind about that."

"So … I'm your son again?"

"Something like that."

Grayson turned away from his mentor and crossing his arms he gazed as the city below. The rain continued to pour and finally, a single, lonely siren could be heard in the distance.

"What do you want to tell me?"

"It's about Barbara."

Grayson turned back. "Babs? Is she OK?"

"She's fine and she's going to be even better soon. Why did you stop speaking with her?"

"How did you know?"

"I knew from the beginning that you were working with her. The Batwave is secure, but not from me. You stopped talking with her after your son was born."

"Yeah, I did … so what's happening with Babs?"

"Surgery, tomorrow."

"What kind of surgery?"

"Spinal."

"What? You mean that if it's successful that …"

"Yes, she'll walk again."

"Wow! … So, this is tomorrow?"

"At Gotham General. Dick, there is some risk involved, the procedure is experimental but she's willing to take it. If it goes wrong though … you should go see her tonight, just in case. Her father is picking her up tomorrow morning."

Grayson's posture betrayed the concern he was suddenly feeling for his red headed friend.

"Sure, I'll go. Say, can I get a lift to Gotham?"

"Yes, I brought the Batwing."

"There's something else you want to tell me?"

"Yes, there is. This weekend, Raven is hosting the Azarathian Rite of Presentation for your son."

"What's that?"

"Your son is four months old. In Azarathian tradition he has achieved full personhood, it's probably a remnant from the days when many infants died shortly after childbirth, before reaching four months of age. In the ritual the mother and the father present the child to the community, which formally welcomes him."

"I didn't know Raven was so big on Tradition."

"There's a great deal you don't know about her, which surprises me as you lived so long with her."

"She keeps those kinds of things to herself."

"Will you be coming with me to the Presentation?"

"You're going?"

"Yes, Mark Roth is the closest thing I have to a grandson. You should go Dick, and participate in the ceremony; he is your son after all. You should present him with Raven."

"I don't know Bruce … I really don't want to face either Raven or Garfield at this time."

"Dick, you can't run away from this, he is your son no matter what. You do know that they reconciled?"

"No, I didn't … that just makes it even more awkward."

"If you don't go, he might fill in for you. Do you really want that?"

"Suits me fine, he'll be a better dad for the kid anyway."

"He's still your son …"

"Dammit, Bruce! I know. You don't have to tell me."

"Then why won't you go?"

"Because … because he embodies every bad decision I ever made."

"So you wanted to taste her, and you did. Is that your son's fault?"

Grayson bowed his head. "No, it's not."

"There's more … the Tamaranian will be there. She's lost to you, of course, now that she is the Grand Ruler of Tamaran, but you should go make your peace with her and bid her farewell."

"It's too late for that."

Batman began to walk away. "As long as you both draw breath, it's not too late."

A few minutes later the Batwing lifted off, carrying its two passengers to Gotham.

_**-( scene break )-**_

"Hurry up, Gar!" Raven growled, as she finished changing yet another of Mark's diapers. "She's due any minute!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" He howled from the bathroom.

The changeling bolted out of the bathroom, tucking in his shirt. "What time is it?"

"I don't know … just that we're late!" She handed her son to him and raised her arms. A black hemisphere engulfed them. Within seconds they were on the Tower's rooftop, the black hemisphere melted away just as the alien shuttle alighted on the landing pad. Cyborg was already waiting and gave them a look that said 'Where the hell were you?'

"We almost missed it … you should try getting ready earlier, Rae."

She responded with a mild glare and he smiled back at her. She rolled her eyes and extended her arms, requesting that he return her son.

"It's OK, I got him."

The sun was low on the horizon and it cast a warm amber glow on the silver colored shuttle. Its hatch opened with a popping sound, followed by a sharp hiss as it opened. Once again an honor guard emerged, this time it consisted of twelve Tamaranian warriors, clad in decorative gala armor and armed with their traditional pikes. They lined up, six per line on either side of the hatch, facing each other and they stood at attention, giant orange sentinels that didn't move a single muscle.

After what felt like a brief eternity a female emerged. To three Titans' surprise it was Blackfire, who had a scar on her face and was followed by an imposing Tamaranian male. They walked past the honor guard and took their places at the end of the lines, facing each other like the honor guard.

Finally, Starfire emerged. She was clad in royal battle armor and was wearing the face crown associated with the Grand Ruler of Tamaran. Her face looked stern and regal and did not betray any emotion. As she walked toward the three Titans her honor guard bowed, with Blackfire and the imposing male bowing to her last. She continued walking and stopped in front of Raven, who bowed to her.

"Welcome to Titans Tower, your Majesty." Raven greeted her.

Starfire broke into a huge grin and squealed with delight as she hugged the gray sorceress. Blackfire gestured at the honor guard, dismissing them. They broke ranks and re-entered the shuttle. The princess turned to the changeling, who handed the baby to her.

"Your bumgorf, he is beautiful."

"Uh … Star … why is Blackfire here?" The changeling asked.

"She is my prime minister."

"Ohhhkaaay … and who is the big dude?"

"He is my husband."

Raven and Garfield looked at each other then back at Starfire. "Your husband?"

"Yes, he is my consort … Raven, we have much to discuss."

The changeling raised his hands. "OK, I get it; you want to do the 'girl talk', right?"

"That is correct, you do not mind; do you my friend if I spend some time alone with Raven?"

"Nah, it's cool. I'll let you steal my girlfriend from me for a while."

Starfire addressed her sister in Tamaranian. Blackfire nodded and with her sister's husband in tow, she returned to the shuttle.

The two women entered the Tower and headed off to Raven's room, which was now the room she shared with Garfield. Mark had fallen asleep in Starfire's arms and she placed him in his crib. As she gently coveredthe baby with a blanket, Raven spoke up.

"Blackfire is your Prime Minister?"

"Yes, she is very good at the running of things."

"And you trust her?"

"I do not, I have a watchdog. He is Galfore's nephew and is loyal to me. He keeps the close eye on her. As the Earth saying goes, keep your friends close and your enemies even closer."

"Sounds very cloak and dagger. I was sorry to hear that Galfore passed away a few months ago."

Starfire bowed her head. "Yes, it was a time of great sorrow for me, beyond the redemptive powers of the pudding of sadness."

"I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you … so who is this nephew that's spying on Blackfire? Did he come along with you?"

"Yes, he did, he is my husband."

"Oh, that big handsome guy … say … he isn't of …"

"Royal blood? No, he is not. I refused to take any of the royal suitors presented to me. Most have been Blackfire's lovers at one time or another, so I was not interested in them."

"So no one objected when you married … what is his name?"

"His name is Malfore, and yes, many did object. But I am the Grand Ruler, so they became silent."

"I see … so … are you … happy together?"

"We are, though I understand your confusion. For reasons of protocol he must be defer to me in public. Behind the closed doors, we are equals"

"Do you love him?"

A sad look crossed her face "I do, though not as much as I once loved others …"

Her expression immediately changed and she smiled at Raven. "But you and Garfield have reconciled. Tell me, how did it happen?"

Raven sat down on a small couch in her room and Starfire joined her.

"It happened suddenly … he broke up with Mireya, over an issue of infidelity."

"Did she catch him with the red hands?"

"No, it happened months before. He felt guilty and confessed to her. She dumped him and he was, well, a bit upset. We began to talk and after a long chat we decided to try again."

"It seems all so simple."

"Not really, it was a year in the making. But in the end, he finally, truly forgave me."

"I see. So the infidelity, it was fortunate?"

"It was … Starfire … all I can say is … thank you, you helped bring us back together."

"Thank you? I do not understand. What did I do to help you?"

Raven smiled sardonically at her royal friend. "What did you do? You slept with him."

Starfire became slack jawed. "That was supposed to be a secret. Did Garfield tell you?" She stammered.

Raven shook her head. "No, he didn't. It really wasn't that hard to figure out. You caressed his ear on TV. You told me once that was something you'd do to Dick before sleeping with him, so I know you were sending him a message. That was a nice 'fuck you', very clever and subtle, I'm sure he saw it … anyway, Gar doesn't know that I know, and I don't ever intend to tell him … our life is complicated enough already."

"Raven, you are not upset that I had the intercourse with your beloved?"

"Well, I'm not thrilled … but if he was going to cheat on Mireya with anyone, I'm glad it was you. Plus, we weren't exactly a couple at the time. And I'm in no position to complain, not with my record. He took me back, so I got what I wanted. Sometimes it's better to keep your mouth shut and count your blessings. I'm not going to mess things up with him again."

Starfire glanced at the crib. "And what about Richard's son?"

"He's the wild card in the hand. So far Gar seems OK with him, he says that it's not Mark's fault who his father is. Believe me, I can relate to that … but how do you feel about it? I mean, Mark's father is …"

"He is dead to me, Raven, do not concern yourself. But I do have good news of my own … I am with child."

"No way … you're pregnant?" Raven gushed.

"Is it not wonderful news?" Starfire beamed.

Raven wrapped her arms around her friend and Starfire reciprocated.

"That is wonderful news, Starfire."

"Thank you my friend. You will come visit me when my bumgorf is born?"

"You can count on it."

Starfire smiled happily then took Raven's hand. "Are you and Garfield betrothed again?"

She softly shook her head. "No … not yet. Not until I complete my therapy."

"Ah yes, the psychologist, the healer of souls … we have no such equivalent on Tamaran. You are progressing, yes?"

"I am, and when I'm ready I'm going to drop down on my knees and ask him to marry me."

"And I know he will accept … so …" She smiled slyly. "When are you planning to have more bumgorfs?"

Raven's face fell. "We can't … Gar's sperm isn't compatible with me, he has too much animal DNA."

"Oh Raven, I did not know … I am so sorry."

The sorceress squeezed Starfire's hand. "I guess you can't have everything … still, I know that I'm very fortunate. I'm back together with Gar, and that's what matters."

"Do not lose hope Raven, perhaps a miracle awaits you."

"Maybe, but for now I'm glad that you're here."

"Will Richard come participate in the ceremony?"

"I don't know. Batman went to ask him to come, but I'm not holding my breath. It doesn't matter … you're here and I'm back with Gar again … I can handle anything life throws at me now."

_**-( scene break )-**_

The sound of a keyboard clicking resonated in the room, which was illuminated solely by the glow of the dozen or so flat screen monitors that were congregated into an impressive command station. Their ever changing output reflected off of a pair of wire rimmed eye glasses.

"So, hiding guns in a candy factory? How unoriginal, Cobblepot." She murmured to herself as she resumed her staccato like typing. "You'll be getting a visit from … let's see … who's available … Bruce? No, he has to go to Jump. Stephanie? Also busy … I'm busting you back down to Spoiler once I get my legs back … Azrael? Perfect, he's free."

Oracle forwarded the mission details to Jean Paul Valley with a few keystrokes and leaned back in her wheelchair. She looked at her watch; she had been at it for 14 hours. She yawned as she stretched her arms … it was time to call it a day.

As she began to roll her wheelchair away a red light began to flash on the console. Someone was in her lair, having entered through one of the secure doors. She rolled back to her console and typed in a quick command. Whoever it was, the intruder had used a very old pass code to enter, one that had not been used in years. He had entered through the door in the alleyway and according to the motion sensors he was walking up the stairs. She activated the stairwell cameras, but it was dark, the light bulbs in the unused stairwell had burned out years ago, and since no one ever used the stairs, they were never replaced.

Cursing under her breath she switched the cameras to infrared mode. There was a single intruder, quickly climbing the stairs. He looked to be of medium size and of a very athletic build. Whoever he was, he looked strong. This wasn't good.

Barbara thought about hitting the panic button, until she realized that there was no one who could get there in time. She was on her own.

She wheeled her chair over to a cabinet, from where she retrieved several batarangs. Her father, the Commissioner, had no idea that she was Oracle and was under the impression that she just wanted to live independently. More than once he suggested to her that she keep a firearm with her, as her loft wasn't in the best part of town. She always turned him down, refusing to keep a gun with her. Now as she fingered her batarangs, she suddenly wished she had taken him up on his offer.

She parked herself a few yards from the stairwell door and turned off the lights, ready to throw her batarangs at the intruder. She bit her lower lip as she waited. The sound of faint footsteps grew louder as they approached the door. Her arm was drawn back and was ready to throw.

The door opened and she launched four batarangs at her target. To her immense surprise the intruder leaped out of harm's way and her batarangs vanished into the stairwell, clattering as they hit the concrete walls and tumbled down the stairs.

"Babs! What the hell!? It's me!"

Barbara turned the lights back on. Nightwing was crouched on the floor, poised to leap into action.

"Dick? What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you."

"You ever heard of knocking?"

"I used my pass code. You didn't know it was me?"

"It's obsolete; it shouldn't have got you past the door … so why are you here?"

"I came to see you … Bruce told me about the surgery."

Babs wheeled herself back to her workstation. "I didn't know that you cared." She replied with a slight huff.

"Come on Babs, don't be that way … of course I care."

"Sorry … I guess I'm a little on edge."

"Bruce told me that the procedure is very risky. That if it goes wrong that …"

"I could die."

He knelt down in front of her. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

She sighed. "Yes, Dick, I am. I want to get out of this chair before my muscles become atrophied permanently. I would hope that if anyone could understand, it would be you."

He rubbed the back of his head. "I do understand … so how does this procedure work?"

"An electronic transceiver will be implanted in my spine, where the Joker shot me. If it works, it will restore my spinal functions. If it doesn't work, it could shut down my entire nervous system … and kill me."

"What are the odds?"

"It's hard to say, the surgeon says that the chance of catastrophic failure is less than 5%. That is just a guestimate, the procedure is too new to really know with any certainty."

"So … how are you handling this?"

"What can I say? … I'm scared. But I can't go on living like this. I hate being in the damn wheelchair."

"I understand … Babs, whatever happens; I'll be there for you."

She took his hand and squeezed it. "Thanks … so are you going to attend the Rite of Presentation?"

"No, I'd rather stay here with you."

"You should still go. Mark is your son."

He raised his hand. "I know, but right now you need me more."

"Dick, he is your son. He needs you more."

"He doesn't even know who I am. He's still a baby. And he's in good hands."

Babs frowned at him. "Dick, if you keep avoiding him, he's never going to know who you are."

"Babs, relax, I'll deal with that later, and right now you need me."

"I do?"

"Yes, you do."

She pursed her lips. "OK, Grayson, you have a deal. You can dote on me until I recover. You do know that you'll have to do it as Dick Grayson and not as Nightwing? And my dad will be hovering over me anyway?"

"I know."

"Thanks … suddenly I'm not so worried anymore."

"You're gonna do fine. After you recover, I'll help retrain you."

"Retrain me?"

"Don't tell me you aren't thinking of wearing the cowl again?"

"Well, yes … but Bruce said that's out of the question, that I should be satisfied just getting out of the wheelchair."

"Since when do you ever do what Bruce tells you?" He smirked.

She laughed. "We do have that in common, don't we? ... Dick, you'd do that for me?"

He leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. "I'd do anything for you, Babs."


	39. Hello Sister

"Mom, Dad … I'm glad you came!"

Rita wrapped her arms around Gar while Mento did a quick post landing inspection on the Doom Patrol Jet, which now occupied the spot where the Tamaranian shuttle, which had returned to its mother ship with Blackfire and Malfore aboard, had stood minutes before.

"Well son, you asked us to come, so here we are." The helmet wearing man replied, satisfied with his inspection.

"I can kind of imagine what you guys are thinking … about me and …"

"You're an adult now Garfield, you can make your own decisions." Rita interrupted him. "And I'm sure you have a perfectly good reason of your own to break up with the policewoman and reconcile with Raven."

"What your mother is trying to say is: if this event is important for you then it's important for us."

"Speaking of which … where are Raven and her baby?" Rita asked.

"She took off with Starfire; they're probably in our room. I can take you there."

Rita gave him a sweet smile. "Aren't you a dear, but I'm sure I can find it … why don't you have a chat with your father while I go and say hello to dear Raven."

Without another word Rita took off for the roof access doors.

"Mom … wait!" He began to bolt after her, but stopped when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"It's OK son, she isn't going to kill Raven … believe it or not she's actually pleased that you're back with her."

"She is?"

"Well, she wasn't too crazy about Mireya. Plus your mom thinks that superheroes shouldn't marry civilians."

"We aren't engaged, dad."

"Yes, we are aware of that, any reason why?"

"Raven feels that it's too soon for that."

"Because of the boy?"

The green man shook his head. "No … not that."

"So how do you feel about the boy?"

"She named him after me. I guess I like him … I mean, he's still just a baby." He chuckled. "Ask me again when he's a pain in the ass teenager."

"That was a nice gesture … so, are you planning on adopting him as your own?"

"Raven says I don't have to, that he's her responsibility and not mine."

Mento smiled at his son. "A noble gesture on her behalf, but you didn't answer my question, when the time comes, will you adopt him?"

"Isn't it kind of premature to think about that? Like I said, we aren't even engaged."

"And you haven't told me why. Is it an issue of trust?"

"No, it isn't. I trust her now, and I know you and mom must think I'm nuts to do that."

"You can't have a relationship without trust. I chose to trust your mother after she cheated on me. She hasn't let me down … but … there are no guarantees, son. I chose to trust her, the only option is to not trust and always be in a state of suspicion and I couldn't live like that. If I didn't trust your mother we would separate."

"So … you're saying I'm not crazy?"

"Do you love her?"

"I can't live without her."

Mento sighed. "You waited a whole year; I only made your mother wait a few months. She said that waiting for me to forgive her was pure hell, the worst time of her life. It was for me too … I also couldn't live without her."

"So you do understand?"

"Of course I do. I'm just amazed that you waited a whole year. Was it because of the baby?"

"I guess … Dad … I'm ashamed to admit this, but … I was tempted to ask Raven to have an abortion, and that if she did I would take her back."

Mento nodded. "Well, life sure would be different now had she done that."

"I'm glad she didn't."

"You are?"

"I haven't told you and mom yet … I can't have kids, my DNA is incompatible with Raven or anyone for that matter, I have too much animal DNA." He sighed. "Mark's the only kid Raven is ever gonna have."

Mento rubbed his chin. "That's … rough. I'm sorry son, if it helps you know that your mother became sterile when she became Elastigirl."

"Yeah, I know."

"So … is that why you broke up with Mireya?"

"No, when I told her she it was OK. We broke up months later."

"Bedroom problems?"

Gar smirked at his father. "No, not at all. She was a good lover, she was very passionate, but I did learn something … a girl's skill in bed had nothing to do with her looks … Jill and Mireya are both a lot prettier than Raven, but they she's a much better lover than either of them. The reason we broke up … it's complicated, but I cheated on her"

"You cheated on her? Was it with Raven?"

"No … it was a one night stand, with someone else … you know, I think that deep down inside I wanted to break up with her. She was going to dump me anyway, so I told her about the cheat. Anyway, she was gonna dump me because she was jealous of Raven, she said that I spent too much time with her. Plus her folks didn't like me, because I'm not Catholic."

"Too bad we raised you Methodist, huh?" Mento joked.

"I guess." The changeling chuckled.

"So what about the engagement? What's holding it back?"

The changeling suddenly looked uncomfortable. "Raven's seeing a shrink."

"She is?"

"I'm surprised you didn't know. I figured you guys would be spying on us."

"No, I told your mother that we had to give you your space … so … she's actually seeing a therapist?"

"She is, and I can already see a difference. For one thing, she's hardly ever passive-aggressive anymore. She told me that until she's 'done' with her therapy that we shouldn't get engaged or get married."

"That could take a long time, possibly years, are you willing to wait that long?"

"I might as well. I don't want to be with anyone else."

"I see … I have a question … where does Nightwing fit into this puzzle?"

"He doesn't."

"He is Mark's father."

The changeling snorted. "Not according to him. He wants nothing to do with the kid … you know Dad, you think you know a guy. He's your friend, you live with him, you fight at his side for years … he wasn't a bro like Vic, he was always too distant and self centered to be that, but he was still a friend. As secretive as he was, I thought I knew him. Then he banged my girl behind my back and now he acts like Mark is poison … what the hell's his problem?"

"He's probably feeling guilty. I think he's punishing himself."

Gar looked like he was about to be sick.

"Guilty?"

Mento nodded. "Yes, guilty. Like Raven, Grayson has pretty good mental blocks, but I was able to break past them and read his mind."

"And what did you see?"

"He was mortified over the consequences of his actions. He doesn't regret having sex with Raven, but he is sorry that he hurt you and wrecked your engagement. He really did just want a secret one night stand with her before leaving … but then everything went horribly wrong. He accepts full responsibility for what he did to you and Mark will always be a reminder to him of that."

"So he's punishing himself by staying away from Mark?"

"I can't say for sure. I haven't read his mind since the incident at the Manor, a year ago."

The changeling shook his head. "Textbook Grayson, too fucking self absorbed to contemplate what his actions will do to his own son."

"Which is why I asked if you're going to adopt him … Gar … you and I both know that you will end up marrying Raven, it's only a question of when. And you know what that means, right, especially with Grayson out of the picture?"

Gar sighed. "Yeah, I do. I'm gonna be Mark's father figure … still; does that mean I should adopt him?"

"That's a question only you can answer, son. Eventually, you'll figure out the answer to that question. Just know that whatever you decide to do, you have my full support and your mother's as well … speaking of which, I think we should go find our women."

"Sure, let's go."

As the two men turned, they found themselves facing three strangers.

"Who are you?" Mento bellowed as he raised his hands to his temples, ready to launch a psionic attack against the three strange looking men.

The changeling gasped when he saw their faces.

All three intruders had four crimson red eyes.

"So you're the idiot our sister is in love with." The tallest of the three remarked.

"Dude! Who the hell are you?"

"You can call me Jacob."

_**-( scene break )-**_

As the hospital elevator rose to its destination on the seventh floor its lone occupant examined himself on its mirror covered walls. The first thing he noticed was that he was still wearing sunglasses, which he hesitantly removed. He stared uneasily at his unmasked face, which the last time he had exposed in public was years ago in Tokyo, and even then he wore shades.

He then looked at the business suit he was wearing. The last time he wore a necktie was just before he left for Jump City, almost ten years ago. It had been so long that he already forgotten how to tie one and Alfred had to come to his rescue. The suit, a solid Navy Blue Italian affair, did a good job of hiding his very muscular frame, making him look "merely" fit. It cost $3000, at least that's what Alfred told him. The tailor custom fit it for him on site at Wayne Manor. A smart pair of Italian loafers completed the ensemble. The disguise was perfect. He wasn't Nightwing, former Titan. He was now Dick Grayson, one of the heirs to the Wayne fortune.

It wasn't hard to find Babs room in the hospital. It was the one with two policemen, armed in riot gear and military grade weapons, standing guard at the door.

"Who are you!?" One of the guards barked as the other aimed his machine gun at Grayson.

Before Dick could reply, Jim Gordon emerged from the room.

"It's OK boys, he's a family friend." The Commissioner admonished his guards. "Come on in, Dick. We've been waiting for you."

Gordon shook Grayson's hand as he entered the room.

"I haven't seen you in years, young man, I barely recognized you."

"I have been away for a long time sir."

"Indeed you have. Bruce said that you were attending some sort of prep school on the west coast and then you went off to college somewhere in Europe?"

"I was, I've taken a leave of absence … I'm not sure if I'll be going back."

"It was very nice of you to come see Barb before her operation. She was telling me that the two of you have stayed in touch over the years."

"We did, mostly emails, though an occasional phone call every now and then too."

The Commissioner lowered his voice to a whisper.

"Dick … are you seeing anyone?"

"Well … I was … but right now I'm not … why do you ask?"

"I don't need to tell you, but Barb is detached … she's been detached since the incident. I think she's really excited to see you."

"I'm excited to see her too … I hope the surgery goes well."

"You and me both … come on, she's waiting for you."

Gordon parted the privacy curtain that separated the main body of the room from the entry. Barbara was resting in her hospital bed and reading a magazine, which she put down when she saw Grayson. She smiled at him and he smiled back.

"I'll give you two kids some privacy." Gordon announced as he stepped out of the room.

Dick smiled at Barb. "He isn't subtle about dropping hints."

"He always liked you Dick and he couldn't stand any of the other guys I went out with before I was shot."

"Would he be so crazy about me if he knew we used to be fuck buddies?"

"I think he knows … but he still likes you anyway."

He took her hand. "Babs … speaking about that … after you recover …"

"I'd love to. I haven't had a roll in the hay since the Joker shot me … couldn't have one anyway, since I feel nothing below my waist … but that's gonna change." She smiled seductively.

"That's not what I meant to say."

"What? You're turning down a bootie call? Who are you and what have you done with Dick Grayson?"

"Very funny Babs … look ... what I'm trying to say is … are you interesting in … something more?"

"You mean … going exclusive?"

"Yeah … you know … the whole boyfriend/girlfriend thing."

Barbara gave him a disturbed look.

"Did I say something wrong?"

"No … not at all … I just wasn't expecting you to ask me that."

"Babs, I've known you for a long time. Longer than I've known Raven or Starfire. Admit it, we both have feelings for each other."

"You do realize that you just asked a broken, wheelchair bound girl who can't have sex to be your girlfriend. There are no guarantees that this surgery will change that. Will you still want to be my boyfriend if I don't recover?"

He locked eyes with his brainy ex lover. There was something about smart women that attracted the former circus brat. He didn't know what it was, but he knew that's what made Raven so irresistible to him. Starfire, while naïve, was also a genius. The litany of dumb but well endowed bimbos that had paraded through his bed in the loft only served to remind him of that, as they were good for nothing more than one night stands.

"Yeah, I will." He replied sotto voce.

A pair of nurses barged into the room and broke the magic spell that was forming.

"It's time, Miss Gordon."

Barbara smiled at Grayson. "See you on the other side, Dick."

"I'll be waiting for you."

He kissed her before they wheeled her bed away. Jim Gordon came in with the nurses and placed and fatherly hand on Dick's shoulder. "Now we get to wait … let's get some coffee."

As they headed down to the hospital cafeteria Dick spoke up.

"Babs and I … we uh … talked … I asked her to be my girlfriend."

"I hope he said yes."Jim smiled.

"She did … at least I think she did."

"That's Barb for you, always being secretive."

"She can be that way."

They reached the cafeteria and procured their beverages: straight black coffee for Gordon, a bottle of juice for Grayson. Gordon picked up the tab and they headed for a solitary table in the corner of the nearly deserted dining area.

"Dick, just for the record, I know the truth."

Dick gulped. "You do … sir?"

"Yes, I know that you and Barb slept together … when she was still Batgirl ... am I right, Nightwing?"

Dick spewed his juice and began to cough.

"Oh please, did you and Bruce think I didn't know?"

"Does Bruce know?"

"I haven't told him, but I think he knows. Now that we're going to be one big family, I'll let him know officially as well … I have to say Dick … I was worried you were going to marry that alien … what happened with her?"

"Turns out we were … incompatible."

"I see … what about that brief relationship you had with Raven?"

Dick hung his head. "Does everyone in world watch Superhero Magazine?"

Gordon sipped his coffee. "It was in the tabloids too."

"It was a stupid fling, and I hurt my friends in the process."

"Her baby … whose is it?"

Dick heaved a huge sigh. "Raven had a DNA test done after he was born … he's mine."

"And Barb knows this?"

"She's known for a long time."

"So what's going to happen with this kid of yours?"

"Raven's agreed to raise him without me around. She got back together with Changeling, so I expect he'll fill in as the father figure … Cyborg sent me a message … they can't have kids."

Gordon finished his coffee. "So, won't you be involved at all with your son?"

"I don't know, not for now anyway."

Gordon drummed his fingers on the table top. "Well … it seems that you, Barb and Raven have this all figured out … I have to say, I don't understand your generation … 'friends with benefits' … 'premarital sex' … 'illegitimate births' … whatever happened to just falling in love with a nice girl and marrying her?"

"Things really haven't changed that much, Mr. Gordon. We still fall in love and get married. Your generation also had its dirty laundry. My generation is just more open about it."

"Really?" Gordon asked with a harsh note of skepticism in his voice.

Dick locked eyes with his girlfriend's father. "Sarah Essen?"

Gordon's face fell. "Touché."

"Sorry sir … I was out of line."

"No … I had it coming. Dick, you are serious about Barb, right?"

"Very serious … you do know that if she has a full recovery that …"

"She'll want to be Batgirl again … yes … I know, and I know I can't stop her … so you keep her safe."

"I'll do my best, but you know her … she won't listen to anyone."

Gordon placed his hand on Dick's shoulder again. "I know son, believe me … I know."

The two men got up to leave, and walked past a large flat panel TV on the wall, which was showing a baseball game. As soon as they left the cafeteria the game was interrupted by a news flash.

_We interrupt this game to bring you this breaking news. Titans Tower in Jump City is under attack …_

_**-( scene break )-**_

Starfire had gone off to speak with Cyborg over some technical details about a new sub space communication array are that would allow for nearly instantaneous audio and video messaging between Tamaran and Earth.

Mark was sleeping and Raven was headed to the kitchen to make some tea when she saw her coming down the hallway. The former movie star looked stunningly beautiful as ever. Raven had invited them to the Presentation Rite at Gar's request. The ceremony wasn't for two more days, so why were they here now?

Rita smiled as she approached Raven.

_OK Raven, you need to get used to this woman. She's going to be part of your life now; she's your future mother-in-law. She isn't gonna go away …_

The two women stopped in front of each other. The elastic woman towered over Raven's diminutive figure.

"Thank you for coming to the Presentation Rite, though I wasn't expecting you for two more days."

"We decided to come spend some quality time with you and Garfield, so we came early. We called Garfield just minutes before landing. I hope that we aren't inconveniencing you."

"Not at all." Raven calmly replied. "I was off to make some tea. Would you like to join me?"

"I'd love to."

As the two women made their way to the common room they discreetly continued to size each other up. It had been about a year since they had last seen each other and neither wanted to be at a disadvantage.

"You look very good Raven. I would never have guessed that you just had a baby."

"Thank you. It was four months ago." Raven replied as he filled her electric kettle with water and turned it on.

"Still, you should be pleased with yourself, your figure is perfect. I of course never had children; I couldn't, not after the accident."

"Garfield explained that to me once."

"I'm sure that you're looking forward to having another baby, this is time with him."

Raven ignored the veiled put down, but did respond. "We can't have children. Gar has too much animal DNA, it's impossible for us to conceive."

Rita did a double take. "You mean my boy is sterile?"

Raven shook her head. "Not sterile. He's incompatible. He produces plenty of healthy sperm; they just can't fertilize a human ovum."

Rita pursed her lips. "Poor Garfield, he'll never be a father."

"I know, when I found out I was heartbroken, and he was with Mireya at the time." Raven replied as she served the tea.

"Ah yes, the policewoman. Raven, I'm so glad he broke up with her. I met her once, and I never liked her. The woman … she was wrong for my son."

"Is there a 'right' woman for your son?" Raven asked in a slightly defensive tone.

"I suppose not, but you come close."

"I do? I expected you to … well … hate me."

"I'm still angry with you for hurting him. And having a son with Grayson only rubs salt in the wound, though to be fair you weren't Garfield's girl when that happened. Anyway, regarding Grayson, I guess you finally got him out of your system."

"I've done more than that … I'm seeing a therapist."

Rita smirked. "A shrink? Personally I think psychotherapy is hokum, even though Steve thinks highly of the profession. In my opinion most people turn their therapist into a crutch."

"I actually think that I've made a lot of progress this past year."

"Did you, dear?"

"Yes, I have. I also promised that I wouldn't propose to him again until I'm done."

"And when will that be?"

"Soon."

Rita arced an eyebrow. "So … this means that you won't cheat on him again?"

"That's correct."

"That's a big promise you're making. Will you be able to keep it?"

"Were you able to keep yours?" Raven asked.

"You know very well that I have … but I see your point … you do seem different now Raven, I can't put my finger on it but something about you has changed. Garfield tells me that he's very happy to be back together with you and that things are different … so I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt … my daughter in law to be."

Raven brightened upon hearing her words.

"Thank you … I … I don't want us to be enemies."

Rita took her hand. "Neither do I. You know Raven; we are more alike than you think."

Raven smirked. "I wouldn't mind having your good looks and being tall like you."

"Don't be silly child, as far as Garfield is concerned, you are the most beautiful woman in the world. What I meant was that you and I had to overcome our true nature to hang on to the men we truly love. You know that I've shared my body with dozens of men, and I thoroughly enjoyed it, but there is only one man I would give my life to save, and his name is Steve Dayton. And I know you feel the same way about Garfield … even when you cheated on him with Grayson."

"If there was only a way to undo that stupid blunder, I would."

Rita finished her tea. "But then your son would never have been born … speaking of which, aren't you going to show him to me?"

"Well, it's getting close to feeding time for him. I guess now would be as good a time as any to …"

Raven was interrupted as the Tower suddenly shook violently as if there had been an earthquake. Raven whipped out her communicator. "Cyborg, what was that?"

There was no response.

Raven switched channels. "Gar! Can you hear me?"

The only response was silence. Winifred, the nanny, had gone out of town for the weekend. There was no one else to call.

"Steve isn't responding either." Rita remarked in an alarmed tone.

Raven grabbed Rita's hand and the two women phased into the floor. When they reappeared, they were in the bedroom. Raven released her hand and ran to the crib.

"Mark's gone!" Raven shrieked in panic.

"You were always such a drama queen, sister." A voice taunted her from the shadows.

Both women turned to face its source. A lone figure emerged from the darkness. Rita gasped when saw it. Whoever it was, she bore a passing resemblance to Raven, especially the shape of her face. Her nose was a little bigger and she had pointed ears. But that isn't what stood out the most. The intruder had long white hair and was red skinned. Her four crimson eyes glowed like embers in the darkened room and she was topless, nursing Mark from one of her own red breasts.

"Raven … who … what is that thing?" Rita asked in a shocked voice.

"That is my half sister Lamia."

"Oh, I'm touched. You didn't forget about me, not even after you sent father, and by extension the rest of us, your siblings, your very own flesh and blood, back to that dungeon of a dimension."

"That thing is your sister?"

"My half sister … Lamia … I don't know how you escaped from your prison, but I'm sending you right back, after you return my son to me."

"You aren't sending anyone back … sister." A male voice growled from behind them. "But we are taking you, and your son, back to father. He's been dying to meet his first grandson."

_**-( scene break )-**_

For those of you wondering who Sarah Essen is, back when Jim Gordon was a Lieutenant (In Batman, Year One), he cheated on his pregnant wife with Detective Sarah Essen. He later ends up divorced and marries Sarah, who is later murdered by the Joker in Batman: No Man's Land.

Some of you might remember Raven's half sister Lamia (from the Wild Man's Journey). I decided to reuse that OC in this story.


	40. Raven Defiant

A few chapters ago an anonymous reader asked about the fate of team Zorkaberry Pie. I'm sad to say that the team is no more as two of our fellow writers (Novus Ordo Seclorum and Still Too Old For This) have moved on from writing fan fiction.

For those not familiar with out defunct group, check out our team story: Ganguro.

s/6285284/1/Ganguro

_**-( scene break -)**_

"These monsters are your siblings?" Rita gasped, her eyes boggling. The three half demons stood before her. One was wearing what looked like a brown parka, with the hood raised over his head. His crimson red demonic eyes glowed from the shadows under the hood. His name was Jared. The taller brother, Jacob, had shortly cropped hair and wore a sky blue unitard. Jesse was the most fashionable one. He wore tight brown jeans, a white T-shirt and unbuttoned red shirt. His hair was black and shoulder length. Like his brothers he had 4 glowing red eyes.

"Half siblings." Raven corrected her. "We all have different mothers."

"Why is the red one nursing your son?"

"I don't know … but neither I nor my son are going anywhere with them."

Lamia smirked at her grey sister.

"Daddy said that I could keep Mark for myself, I asked him first if I could keep Garfield, but he said I couldn't, that he was for someone else. So I asked him if I could keep your baby and raise him as my own … and he said yes!"

Mark continued to nurse happily at Lamia's engorged breast, while the red demoness grinned from ear to ear.

"That's … disgusting!" Rita bellowed. "And why is she red?"

"Unlike me, my half sister is a pure blooded demon. Her mother is the demoness Lilith. The others, Jessie, Jacob and Jared are half demons like me."

Raven glared at her brothers. "How did you escape from the prison where I locked you away?"

"We had some help from an old friend of yours." Jared replied. "We made a deal with him and he helped us escape … unfortunately we can't liberate father from the Hell where you sent him, so we're taking you to him!"

"You leave my daughter-in-law alone!" Rita snarled.

"Be quiet, woman!" Jacob bellowed at her. "She isn't your daughter-in-law and never will be!"

"If you've hurt a single hair on Gar's head you will pay for it dearly." Raven snarled. "Where is he and what have you done with him?"

Jesse approached Raven and caressed her cheek with his index finger. She blasted him with her dark energy, sending him crashing into a wall.

"Where. Is. My. Boyfriend?"

Jesse got back onto his feet and dusted himself off.

"That was rude, sis. As for your green idiot, we've turned him over, along with the rest of your so called friends, to our partner."

"Whoever this partner is, he's a fool. You're going to betray him … father never keeps his end of any bargain he makes and neither do you. Your word is worthless."

A familiar monotone, tenor interrupted the conversation.

"You are quite right, Raven … your father betrayed me once … this time I took some precautions."

Raven frowned at the sound of his voice. "I should have known you were behind this … show yourself, Slade!"

Raven's three brothers, who were standing in front of the door, moved aside, revealing Slade's figure behind them. The one eyed man walked in until he was in front of Raven. He then leaned over so that we were face to face.

"You didn't really think I would let you get away with killing my Rose?"

"It wasn't intentional, and you know it, Slade."

"Irrelevant, my dear child. I will have my revenge."

"So you made another deal with my father? You know what happened the last time you did that."

"Yes … I do … things are different this time, you see, when Terra threw me into the lava pit I wasn't exactly negotiating from a position of strength … this time however I am. I made a deal with your brothers and sister. They will defeat the lot of you and will turn over your teammates and the Daytons to me, I in turn agreed to let them take you and your son back to your father … not an ideal scenario, as I would have liked to torture you myself in vengeance, but we don't always get what we want … do we Raven?"

"They will betray you, haven't you learned anything?"

"Oh, I have learned much, child, very much indeed. I brought them here with a 24 hour spell. They will automatically return to their fiery cesspool when the clock strikes 12, in a figure of speech. They will also be returned before then if they fail to complete their portion of the bargain. And while they only have a few hours left on the clock, all that remains is for them to capture you and Elastigirl; which they should be able to accomplish handily."

"What are you going to do with the others?" She snarled as she balled her fists.

"I plan on torturing them … making them beg for death. Then … I will terminate them."

"Are you insane Slade? Starfire is the Grand Ruler of Tamaran … you'll start an interplanetary war. Earth will be devastated."

Slade chuckled at her remark. "I have that covered too, dear Raven. I have been in touch with Blackfire. She will be more than happy to assume the role of Grand Ruler, taking her poor sister's place … so you see, there won't be any war. Starfire's and the other's deaths will be blamed on the Demons that kidnapped you. Both worlds will mourn the combined losses … it will be so tragic, heart wrenching … I expect candlelight vigils and lots of speeches … they'll probably even build monuments to your team on both Tamaran and Earth."

"You won't get away with this, Slade, we won't let you!"

The one eyed villain continued chuckling. "You're welcome to try, Raven. But even with Elastigirl's help you can't possibly defeat all four of your siblings, plus I have hundreds of my robots in your tower … it's hopeless Raven, you've already lost."

"I don't think so." Rita growled. "Are you ready to kick some butt, Raven?"

"I thought you'd never ask." Raven replied in a confident tone as she readied herself for combat.

Jesse, Jared and Jacob assumed fighting stances. Lamia placed the infant back in the crib and smiled maliciously at her sister as she too adopted a fighting stance. "I've looked forward to this day, Raven, it's long overdue. Today I'll become Trigon's most illustrious daughter."

Slade stepped back to the doorway as the fight began.

_**-( scene break )-**_

_Back in Gotham …_

There was little to do but wait. That's what waiting rooms were for, after all, and this waiting room was like most. It had a shiny linoleum floor and ir reeked of antiseptic. The chairs were as odd looking as hey were uncomfortable. There was a coffee pot in the corner, and Jim Gordon was filling two Styrofoam cups with the black sludge that had been brewing for hours. He walked back to Grayson and handed him one of the cups. Dick sipped it and grimaced as he put the cup down on the table in front of him. It had to be the world's worst coffee; curiously it didn't seem to bother Jim Gordon at all, as he continued to sip on it as he sat down next to Dick. The coffee at the precinct was probably no better.

The two men sat in silence as the clock on the wall ticked away. Some small children were watching Dora the Explorer on the rickety old picture tube TV, while their mothers chatted quietly and in hushed tones. Waiting rooms weren't bastions of good cheer, at least not until the surgeon arrived with good news. Dick glanced at the clock on the wall … still four hours to go. They remained silent for a while, until Gordon subtly cleared his throat.

"You never get used to waiting … heaven knows I've done my share. Every time one of my cops is wounded, I wind up here … waiting."

"It must be hard, being responsible for so many people."

"You were responsible for a few yourself. You did a good job Dick, the Titans, they're highly respected and it's mostly because of you."

"Not really … the team was just damn good."

"But you were more than a team, weren't you? You were family. That's what it's like on the force. Sure we have our differences. Bullock's a bull in a China closet. Montoya is overzealous, but in the end … we're a family."

"So were we." Dick replied dejectedly. "Until I let them down."

"You mean your fling with Raven?"

"Yeah … I never meant to hurt anyone … it was just supposed to be a one night stand, it was going to be our secret."

"Funny how those things never work out that way." Gordon replied.

"I'm sorry I mentioned that … about Detective Essen … when I heard that you and Mrs. Gordon were divorced … I'm sorry, sometimes I just say and do stupid things."

Gordon patted Grayson on the shoulder. "It's OK, son. I've finally come to terms with that mistake and I paid a terrible price for it."

"I'm sorry … not sure if you know already, but Raven and Changeling … they reconciled."

"That must be a huge weight off your shoulders."

"Sort of … I don't think I'll ever be able to face them again though … Mr. Gordon …"

"Just call me Jim."

Grayson nodded. "Jim … forgive me for being so intrusive, but … why did you have an affair? Were you unhappy with your wife?"

Gordon shook his head. "No, not at all … Barbara was pregnant with our second child … Jimmy, and"

"Babs has a brother?"

"You've never met him … he's … he lives in a sanitarium … he's prone to violence … he's a sociopath." Gordon's voice trailed.

"Jim … I didn't know … Babs never told me about him."

"We don't like to talk about Jimmy, I guess now that you and Barb are official she'll tell you more about him … anyway … getting back to my wife, I was happy with her. What happened is …"

Gordon finished his coffee in a single gulp and stared out the window, with a melancholic look on his face.

"… I had just transferred to Gotham PD. I was a lieutenant at the time. Gotham PD was corrupt, rotten to the core, and it began at the top, with Commissioner Loeb. They were expecting me to play along, to look the other way, to take bribes. After a few months Sarah also transferred to Gotham PD. We clicked right away with each other. We had the same goals, the same ideals. Sometimes it seemed like we were the only two cops on the level on the entire force. I guess you could say that she became my "office wife". We had a level of trust that was very high and we confided a great deal with each other. The affair how can I explain it? … I guess it just happened. Barbara was in her third trimester and we stopped having sex. I don't know what happened, Dick. Maybe it was the pressure of the job, which I was beginning to hate, but Sarah and I began to sleep with each other. Loeb had spies tailing us and they snapped photos of us kissing. He used them to blackmail me. At first I didn't know what to do, I was panicking, and I didn't want Barbara to know. But I couldn't allow Loeb to use me, I knew he would keep pushing me until I couldn't go any further … so I bit the bullet and came clean with Barbara."

"How did she take it?"

"Not well … we saw a marriage counselor and things seemed to get better and for a while I thought we had put it behind us … that is until the problems with Jimmy began. When he was diagnosed as a sociopath had to be interned … well, that's when Barbara snapped. She just packed her bags and left me and Barb … Barb took it really hard, her mother abandoning her, how is a child supposed to handle that?"

"And you blame yourself?"

"Damn right I do. But I do have some advice for you … don't avoid your friends just because you did something stupid."

"I can't go back, not after what I did. I'm so relieved that Raven and Gar are back together that I don't want to take any chances and screw that up again for them."

"You should give them more credit than that. And what about your son? I know you said that Raven is going to raise him by herself, but shouldn't he at least know who his father is?"

"It's complicated." Grayson muttered.

"Life usually is complicated … you and Barb are going to take a shot at being a couple. That's complicated, especially since you have no idea how this surgery is going to turn out. Most guys would have waited for Barb to recover, but you just jumped right in, head first into the pool."

"I know …" Grayson looked up at the clock. Still more than three hours to go. "Maybe it's time for me to do something right for a change. Maybe I can't do it for Mark, but I can still do it for Babs."

Gordon rose from his chair. "Let's go for a walk … I need to stretch my legs."

Dick smiled. "Sure … I hate waiting rooms."

After the two men left the Dora show ended and the TV channel was changed to the Gotham News Network, which showed footage of Titans Tower being overrun by Slade-bots. A reporter was announcing that the entire city was being evacuated and that there was no sign of the Titans anywhere.

_**-( scene break )-**_

Raven gritted her teeth as she weighed her options. While none of her siblings was her equal, there were four of them and those were not odds that she cared for. Sure Rita was with her, but the truth was that she wasn't very effective in confined spaces where she could not take grow into a giantess. Raven was also going to have to hold back, she couldn't use her powers indiscriminately, not without risking harming Mark. Unfortunately her siblings had no reservations about using excessive power. Which meant that she was going this the hard way, which stacked the odds against her even more.

Lamia grinned and made a 'come and get me' hand gesture at her sister. Raven knew that Lamia was the strongest of the four and decided to turn down her invitation, lunging instead at Jacob, her fists encased with her dark energy. Her gambit paid off as he wasn't expecting her to target him and she caught him completely off guard. He tried to dodge her but she surprised him with her speed and she slammed a fist into his face, sending him careening into a wall. He fell forward and slumped onto the floor. Raven knew he wasn't out for the count but there were three other demons to deal with and if her guess was right they would be closing in on her.

She guessed well, as huge, muscular Jared was closing in on her, with Jesse right behind him. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Rita engaging Lamia, but had to turn away from them as she had to deal with her two brothers, who were closing in fast. She aimed her hands at Jared and fired off a volley of dark energy bursts, which slowed down the gargantuan demon. She heard Rita groan and saw her hit the floor. Lamia landed on her and began to pummel Raven's self professed mother-in-law with her own demonic dark energy. Rita screeched in pain and began to writhe on the floor.

Jesse took advantage of Raven's momentary distraction and shot past Jared, leaping into the air and slamming feet first into the gray Titan's abdomen, knocking her wind out and sending her tumbling. The sorceress did her best to remain calm while she recovered, but they gave her no quarter. Jacob and Jesse grabbed her by her arms; immobilizing her while Jared hit her repeatedly in the face. Raven's vision became impaired and she felt warm blood dripping on her face. Another blow connected and she felt her nose break. They showed her no mercy and the beating continued.

Suddenly, Jared stopped hitting her and her vision slowly came back. Rita was a crumpled heap in the far corner for the room, her supine figure did not move. Raven groaned from the pain she was feeling.

"Ready to surrender, sister?"

Raven glared at the red demoness. "Never!"

"Fine, have it your way."

Lamia broke into a rapid series of roundhouse kicks, all aimed at Raven's ribcage. A scream of pain escaped her lips when three of her ribs cracked. The red demoness desisted in her attack and grabbed Raven's bloodied chin.

"How about now?"

"Go fuck yourself." Raven groaned.

Lamia tsk tsk'd upon hearing her rebuke. "Language Raven, didn't the monks of Azarath teach you to not swear? Now I'm going to have to give you a refresher course in good manners."

Lamia hit Raven with a thrust side kick in here gut. Her brothers had relaxed their grip and she fell back, collapsing onto the floor. She was breathing laboriously, clearly still in pain from her broken ribs.

"It's over sister, it doesn't matter whether you surrender or not. I'm taking you and your son back to father. So, will you go quietly?"

Raven was facing away from her red sister. Her eyes were swollen shut from the beating she had received and she fumbled with her jeweled belt, searching for a particular compartment, which after a few blind attempts she found and opened.

"I'll never go quietly."

"You know that it's pointless. You've got nothing left, how could you possibly stop me?"

Slade had watched the one sided battle with an amused demeanor, and almost felt sorry for the sorceress. He did notice her fumbling with her belt and was wondering what she was up to. His curiosity was soon answered when she rolled over and he saw it. Behind his mask his face fell. He then bolted from the room. Lamia raised an eye brow at his cowardly departure and merely shrugged her shoulders.

Raven struggled to sit up, her body nearly convulsed in pain, but she did not relent. She raised her right fist, which now sported an unusual ring. She opened her swollen eyes and glared at her sister. Her reply was a single word.

"Shazam"

_**-( scene break )-**_

Gordon and Grayson had returned from a long walk and were back in the waiting room. The children were gone and the TV had been mercifully turned off. Dick looked at the clock on the wall. The operation should have been done almost two hours ago. He slipped his hand into his coat pocket, and found his Batwave communicator, which he had shut off before coming to the hospital. His first instinct was to turn it back on, but he desisted as Babs wasn't at her seat, in Oracle's chair, to speak with him. He released the communicator and allowed it to sink back into the bottom of his pocket.

"What's taking so long?" He sighed with a hint of desperation in his voice as he stood up. "I'm going to find a nurse …"

"It's OK, Dick … this isn't unusual … sometimes it just takes longer than anticipated."

"I can't wait any longer, I feel like I'm gonna go nuts …"

A doctor in surgical scrubs entered the waiting room. "Mr. Gordon?"

"That's me."

"Come with me, please."

Dick's eyes trembled with anxiety. "Is she OK?"

"I'm sorry young man, I can only share with relatives, it's the law and …"

"He's family." Gordon interrupted.

"Very well … this way please." The doctor gestured to a nearby privacy room. He followed them in and closed the door behind him.

"The operation was a success. While at this point there are no guarantees, it is almost certain that Miss Gordon will regain the use of her legs."

Both Gordon and Grayson exhaled pronounced sighs of relief.

"Thank you, doctor, that's wonderful news." Gordon beamed. "What took so long? You almost went over by two hours."

"Yes … about that … there were complications. We did a routine blood test before the operation and we found something we didn't like."

"Something you didn't like? What do you mean by that?" Grayson asked.

"The blood tests weren't conclusive so after we finished the spinal repairs we did some exploratory surgery."

"What did you find?" Gordon asked in a listless voice.

"Ovarian cancer, I'm afraid."

"What!? How is that possible? Babs isn't even 25 yet!" Grayson shrieked.

"Yes, it was unexpected. We performed an emergency hysterectomy, the biopsy confirmed that it was malignant … an oncologist has been assigned to Miss Gordon. We caught it early, it shouldn't have spread, but that's the oncologist's job now. A chemo treatment plan will be put together for her."

"Where is she? Does she know?"

"She's in her room, and no we haven't told her yet, we'd rather wait for her to recover from the surgery. We'd prefer that you not tell her, we are planning on informing her tomorrow. Now , if you'll follow me, I'll take you to her room now. She'll be groggy but she can talk, for a while."

They followed the doctor down the long labyrinth of corridors, down an elevator and finally they arrived at her room, which was a different one from before the previous room. They entered quietly. Babs appeared to be asleep but opened her eyes as they stood next to her bed. She smiled at them.

"Dad, Dick … I'm not dead, right?"

"You're quite alive young lady … the operation was a success." Her father replied with a warm smile on his face.

"It was? … Dick, touch my feet."

Grayson nodded and lifted the blanket at the end of the bed, exposing her bare feet. He stared at them before gently tracing his index finger along the sole of her foot, which suddenly jerked. Barbara giggled.

"I felt that, I did!" Her voice crackled with emotion. "I'm going to be OK, I'm gonna walk again!"

Dick took her hand, locking thumbs with her. She didn't know, she didn't know that she would never have children of her. A tear dripped down Grayson's face.

_We're never going to have children._

"Oh Dick, I'm so happy!"

He squeezed her hand. "So am I, Babs, so am I."


	41. The Snare of Black Adam

The entire world seemed to come to a standstill when Raven uttered the Wizard's name. Raven suddenly felt icy cold, as if she was in some sort of limbo, a netherworld wedged between the lands of the living and of the dead. She had never planned on doing this, on using the ring and invoking the Wizard's power.

She had tried on the ring once before, shortly after Rose's demise. She had slipped it on, clandestinely as she felt mystically drawn to it. She waited for the ring to speak to her, but it was silent, it neither welcomed nor rejected her. But Raven was an empath and she could feel Teth Adam's presence. Shazam had chosen the Egyptian prince as his first champion about 5000 years before and at first he was a worthy protector of humanity. But over time he succumbed to the seven deadly enemies of humanity: Pride, Envy, Greed, Hatred, Selfishness, Laziness and Injustice. These had so corrupted the prince that he succumbed to pure and boundless evil and Raven could sense it the ring. This intrigued her and without telling the others she kept the ring in her possession, with the intention of studying it. So great was her folly that Malchior the dragon, who remained trapped in the book she still kept safely locked in her trunk, warned her to rid herself of the ring, preferably destroying it in the process, as it could only bring ruin to her.

The situation she was now facing changed her perspective regarding the ring. She had just received the beating of her life at the hands of her four siblings. Her nose and some of her ribs were broken. Her eyes were so swollen that she could barely see through them. She was in agonizing pain and couldn't even get back on her feet. She couldn't summon her dark energy. Her friends had been turned over to Slade, who was going to torture and murder them and she and her son were going to be delivered to her father, were they would live a never ending hellish life of bondage in Hell.

She was staring into the abyss, without any hope or means of escape. She was desperate for any way to turn the situation around. Desperate times called for desperate measures, which is why she slipped the ring onto her finger. She understood the risk that she was taking, as she would not only be assuming Black Adam's role as the Wizard's rogue champion, she would be inviting his very soul to reside within her, as soul as vile and corrupt as that of any of her siblings.

But she had no choice.

She heard the Wizard's name leap from her lips as if someone else had uttered the magical word. It echoed in the room with a supernatural timber. In her debilitated state she braced herself, as she felt a swell of magical energy build up, making her bruised skin tingle. Not knowing what to expect she gritted her teeth and prepared herself for the unknown she was about to leap into head first.

Rita had recovered consciousness in time to hear Raven summon Black Adam's power and was beginning to raise her head when she heard a loud thunderclap. The thunderous explosion roused Mark from his slumber and he began to cry, while a bright lightning bolt struck the sorceress, momentarily blinding all who were present. As their vision returned all they could see was a cloud of smoke that was where Raven had been standing before.

The lightning strike did not hurt Raven, in fact it had the opposite effect. The first thing the sorceress noticed was that her pain was gone. Her ribs, nose and face in general no longer hurt. Then she felt vitality, a surge of life force that engulfed her very being, overwhelming her. She could literally feel the power coursing through her body, like electricity flowing across a high tension power line. The sensation was exhilarating and she suddenly felt as if no task was beyond her abilities or power … she felt … almighty.

As the smoke cleared she saw her four siblings standing before her. Jared, who moments before towered over her with his intimidating figure, suddenly seemed small and fearful. Her brothers no longer dwarfed her; in fact they were now suddenly shorter than her. The three males stared at her in utter disbelief; fear and trepidation were visibly present in their demonic eyes and the slowly began to back away from her. Only Lamia remained put, with her red arms raised defiantly and her fists balled.

Raven saw her reflection on the full sized mirrors on the closet's sliding doors. The woman she saw in the mirror was a stranger to her. For starters she was huge and muscular. She was wearing a black unitard with the Shazam's ensign on her chest, the golden lightning bolt. The only familiar feature she recognized was her violet hair, which was now shoulder length. She liked what she saw.

But something disturbed her: fact that she saw four crimson red eyes in the reflection. It was then that she realized that she wasn't alone in her body.

_Greetings, Raven … I have been eager to meet you._

Lamia thrust her arm in Raven's direction, summoning her brothers.

"Don't just stand there … attack!" The red skinned demoness shrieked.

"Uh … you first?" Jesse whimpered in reply.

"You idiots! What do you think father will do to us if we return empty handed? Now fight her, damn you!"

Jared was the first one to attack, lunging at Raven with inhuman speed. Rita gasped, figuring that they would again defeat the girl who loved her son. To her amazement Raven reacted even faster, easily parrying the demon's attack before connecting an uppercut to his jaw. He went flying through the ceiling, passing through several floors before emerging from the Tower's roof and falling into the bay. Raven admired her fist with a pleased smile on her face.

_There is no limit to what we can accomplish together, daughter of Trigon._

Jacob was right behind his brother. In a smooth motion Raven brought her arm back down and back fisting her brother from another mother. He yelped in pain as he flew through an exterior wall and joined his brother in the briny ocean water below.

_Our combined power dwarfs that of your father and all his minions._

Jesse attacked next. Raven encased him with her dark energy, its power augmented by the powers of the Egyptian gods that the mighty champion now marshaled with authority. He struggled to free himself, but it was act of sheer futility. Raven gestured with her arm and Jesse was shot out through a window and flew away as if he was attached to a rocked, until his shrinking form disappeared over the hills that surrounded the city.

_This world is ours to take. It is rightfully ours as we are the supreme and highest form of life._

**What about my son? What about Garfield?**

_The changeling is your property. Do with him as you please. We will protect the child from any harm. And that includes from your siblings. _

Raven, her red eyes ablaze turned to her sister and returned the "come and get me" gesture Lamia had taunted her with earlier. The red skinned demoness shrank away, knowing that she could not win and retreated in defeat.

"You won this round Raven, but we will be back. Someday we will avenge what you have done to us and to father."

Raven grinned victoriously as a dark portal formed and sucked her sister back into the hell from where Slade had summoned her.

"Good luck with that!" Raven crowed as her sister's body stretched as it was drawn into the void.

Rita had picked up Mark and approached her, looking shell shocked.

"Raven … that was … amazing." Rita announced in a breathless voice. "How … where did you get those powers … you look like Captain Marvel."

Raven flexed the muscles in her arms and looked pleased with herself. "You can't even begin to imagine the power … not even the Kryptonians are this mighty. If only you could experience it, you would understand."

Rita gave her an odd look. "Raven … we still need to save the others."

Raven closed her eyes and concentrated. "They're in the holding cells … Slade left them there when he fled … he took all his robots with him."

Rita marveled. "How do you know that?"

Raven tapped her head with her index finger. "I have the power of the gods, I'm practically omniscient."

"But how?"

"Never mind … I'll be right back."

Raven phased into the floor and disappeared. Mark was still crying and Rita attempted to soothe him while she started at the spot where Raven had stood moments before. Just seconds later a black hemisphere rose from the floor and began to melt away, revealing the enhanced Raven along with the missing Titans and Mento, who were looking pretty battered. Garfield stared incredulously at what his sweetheart had become. To his surprise, the four eye giant picked him up like a rag doll and kissed him.

"Raven … is that you?" Cyborg's voice trembled.

"Of course it's me. Can't you tell?"

"You seem … different?" Starfire remarked.

Garfield glared at her. "You used the power of the ring! You said that you were going to leave it in the evidence room!"

"Don't take that tone with me, Gar! Yes, I hung onto it, and it's a good thing that I did, otherwise you'd all be dead while Mark and I would be on a permanent vacation with my father."

"Who were those guys?" Cyborg asked. "The totally kicked our butts. I mean, it was like no contest. My weapons had no effect on them. Star couldn't fend them off either. They didn't even have to try to beat us."

"They easily defeated us too." Rita interrupted. "That is until Raven went all Captain Marvel on them."

"I'm not Captain Marvel." Raven remarked in an ominous voice. She crossed her arms and glared at all present.

"Then who are you?" Mento asked. "Because you aren't the Raven we know."

The giantess smiled as she nodded her head. "You are quite right, Mento. You can call me … Black Raven."

"Black Raven?" The changeling nearly choked as he took her hands. "Raven … OK, you used the ring to save us, but you're beginning to creep me out, how about you say Shazam and turn back into yourself?"

_Do not listen to him; he is only envious of your new powers. He wants to take the ring from you, he wants it for himself. But he isn't worthy Raven, only you are. You are now Black Raven, their rules do not apply to you._

She gently squeezed his hands. "Gar, can't you see? I am myself."

He nervously shook his head. "I … I don't think so … Rae … why are you doing this?" He stammered.

She released his hands. "Gar, can't you see? I have the powers of the gods. That makes me a goddess."

He backed away from her. "If you're a goddess, then why do you have four eyes?"

She looked in the mirror and saw that she still had her demonic eyes. She blinked a few times and they disappeared, replaced by her normal indigo orbs. She turned back to him and smiled.

"See … it's me."

He didn't say anything, but the look on his face said plenty: she was now a stranger to him. She extended her hand to him.

"There's nothing to worry about, Gar … come … take my son and let us leave and go live somewhere befitting a goddess."

He slowly shook his head. "No … I can't … I don't know who you are. I know Raven is buried somewhere deep inside of you, but you aren't my Raven. Whoever you are, let her go, give her back to me."

Her four eyes reappeared.

"What kind of an idiot are you!? You cannot make those demands of a goddess. Come with me Garfield … and just so you know … I'm not asking you."

In a feat of foolish bravery, he stood his ground against her.

"I don't want a goddess … I want my Raven."

"I AM RAVEN, YOU STUPID GREEN IDIOT!"

He shook his head again. "No … you're not, and you're not a goddess either."

"Do you have any idea of what you're asking of me?"

"Yeah … I do."

"Then you're crazy! Give me one good reason why I should do this?"

"To be yourself."

She laughed at him. "You expect me to revert to being that weak, insecure girl."

He balled his fists.

"You weren't weak! Dammit Raven, don't you get it? You were always worried about being a monster, which you weren't, but now you are one. Is that what you really want?"

_Do not listen to him._

"Nice try, Gar … but I'm not buying it. I am not a monster … I am perfection. You should be glad that I am willing to let remain a part of my life."

An exasperated moan escaped the changeling's lips.

"If you won't do for yourself, won't you do it for you and me?"

She briefly considered his words.

_He is appealing to your emotions. Do not yield to them._

**I don't want to lose him.**

_You will lose him if you are weak._

"Garfield, I am doing this for us."

Garfield felt his heart shatter, but quickly gathered himself. He understood well what was happening. Raven was being possessed by Black Adam's dark soul and was overwhelmed by the seven enemies of man, especially by pride and greed.

The changeling turned to his mother and took Mark from her. Cradling the in crying infant in his arms he turned back to her.

"Will you do it for us?"

_DO NOT LISTEN TO HIM!_

That was when he saw it: a crack, a chink in her armor. Her eyes returned to their human form and her expression changed.

"But I'm a goddess."

"He doesn't need a goddess, he needs his mother … and I need my girl."

Raven suddenly gritted her teeth. "Let … me … go."

"Fight him Raven, I know you can! You're strong. I believe in you."

The giantess fell to her knees. "He's so strong … he won't let me go."

"You're stronger Raven … fight him … for yourself … and for us."

She grabbed her temples. "I'm … trying."

"You just have to say Shazam. You can do it."

_I will not release you, daughter of Trigon, there is no power that can resist me._

"Sha … Sha … he's stopping me … he's too strong."

The changeling began to panic. "Raven … please … try harder … remember, I love you."

Somewhere in Nevermore Raven's emoticlones gathered around Teth Adam's soul and closed in on him.

_I will take back what is mine!_ They shouted in unison.

_NOOO! STOP! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING._

"SHAZAM!" Raven screamed at the top of her lungs.

The changeling turned around, shielding Mark with his own body. The magical lightning appeared and a loud explosion echoed in the room as it hit her. Once again she was surrounded by smoke, and to Gar's horror a badly beaten Raven fell from the penumbra like darkness and collapsed onto the floor.

_**-( scene break )-**_

A nurse popped into the hospital room. The upper half of her scrubs was a cheerful puppy dog print. Nurses always seemed to favor these sort of upbeat patterns, perhaps as a contrast to the overall gloomy environment that seemed to cast a pall in your typical hospital. She had a bright smile to go with it.

"Sorry, gentlemen, but it's time for Miss Gordon to rest … visiting hours are over."

Dick looked up the digital clock that hung on the wall in the room. It had somehow become 10 PM.

"I'll be back tomorrow Babs … you rest well." He waved at her as he headed for the door.

"Aren't you forgetting something … Romeo?"

Grayson gave her a blank look while Jim Gordon had to stifle a snicker. "What? … Oh! Yeah, of course."

He leaned over her and they exchanged a not so chaste kiss. She placed her hand behind his head and pulled him in so that her lips were next to his ear. "You're my boyfriend now, doofus!"

"Yeah, I guess I'm still getting used to that idea … sorry."

She drew him in even closer and whispered in his ear. "When they let me out of here, you and I are going to have the greatest roll in the hay in the history of sex."

"Babs … your dad's here." He hissed back at her.

"Oh lighten up, you think he doesn't know?"

They kissed again. "See you tomorrow, lover boy."

Dick did hise best to not blush as he stepped away to the door, hoping that Gordon wouldn't notice while he said goodnight to his daughter. The two men emerged from the room, which was once again guarded by elite Gotham PD troopers.

"Are you hungry?" Gordon asked him as they made their way down the hallway. Their heels made repetitive clicking sounds as they walked through the now nearly silent hospital.

"Isn't the cafeteria closed?"

"It probably is, but there's an all night diner a few blocks away. The food there isn't bad." Gordon replied.

"Sounds good to me."

After a brief hike they arrived at their destination. The place was almost stereotypical. It had a long countertop and a flashing neon sign in one of the windows that said "Good Eats". The late night clientele was the expected mix of drifters, people who worked the night shift at the hospital and other denizens of the night. They sat down in a booth and a waitress, a frumpy middle aged woman dressed in a worn, but well pressed uniform with the name "Madge" embroidered on her blouse approached them.

"What can I get you boys?"

"Double cheeseburger, chili fries and a chocolate shake." Grayson ordered without even glancing at the menu.

"I wish I could still eat like that … I'll have a ham and swiss on rye and a decaf."

"I'll have that ready for you in a few minutes." She replied as she returned to the counter, placing their order tickets on the metal carrousel that hung between the counter and the kitchen. She soon returned with Gordon's coffee and two glasses of water. Grayson picked up his glass and sipped it. The two men sat together quietly for a few minutes, until Gordon broke the silence.

"So you and Barb, huh?"

"Yeah … I uh … who would have thought?"

"I am pleased with this news, Dick. After you left Barb dated some real losers. All they were after was sex, I don't need to tell you how glad I am that you're back in her life … she's going to need your support Dick, I want you there tomorrow when the doctor tells her about the cancer and the hysterectomy."

"I'll be there, you can count on it."

There was a small, ancient looking black and white TV sitting on the counter. The nightly news on one of the local B stations was about to begin. Dick tuned out the news anchors, that is until the evening's headline was announced:

"_In tonight's top story … Titans Tower in Jump City was attacked by the supervillain known as Slade. While the Titans have yet to confirm the story unofficial reports indicate that four Titans known as Cyborg, Changeling, Starfire and Raven were able to repel Slade's attacking forces …"_

Dick leaped to his feet, but was gently pulled back into his seat by Gordon.

"You aren't in uniform, son. You're Dick Grayson right now, remember? You don't want to blow your cover now, do you?"

Grayson nodded as he sat back down, still listening to the news cast. To his immense irritation no one else in the diner seemed to care about the news, which really wasn't all that surprising. This was Gotham after all. Gothamites were second to none with their indifference to other people's troubles. The TV announcer might as well have announced that a cat got stuck in a tree.

"_There are also unconfirmed reports that the Titan known as Raven suffered severe injuries …"_

Dick fumbled in his pocket, searching for his old Titan communicator, which he suddenly realized was still back in his loft in Bludhaven. He pulled out an ordinary iPhone and quickly dialed Cyborg's personal number. He pressed the phone to his ear and heard Cyborg's phone ring.

_Come on, answer … dammit._

"_Dick?"_

"Yeah, it's me … I just saw the news …"

"_You mean you just found out now?"_

"Babs was in surgery today, I just left her room at the hospital … they're saying on the news that Raven's hurt …"

"_We all got injured, but she got the worst of it. She'll be OK; she already started her healing trance."_

"What happened?"

Cyborg's voice sounded grim over the phone.

"_Did you know that Raven has siblings?"_

"No, I didn't … were they working with Slade?"

"_Good guess … they had us beat. They were gonna take Raven and your son back to Trigon, and hand the rest of us over to Slade. Apparently Blackfire was involved as well."_

"How many were they?"

"_Four altogether … Raven used some bad ass magic to beat them, but got the crap beaten out of her."_

"How about Mark? Is he OK?" Grayson's voice betrayed a strong hint of concern.

"_He's fine, not a scratch on him … speaking of which, are you coming to the dedication ceremony the day after tomorrow?"_

"You mean Raven's isn't going to postpone that?"

"_Well, everything is under control and she'll be fully healed by then, and well, you know Raven … she won't postpone it, a lot of people are coming … and so should you."_

"I can't … I need to stay with Babs."

"_Is something wrong? Did the surgery go badly?"_

"No, the surgery was a success, she'll walk again … but there is bad news, and I can't share it … I need to stay here, Cy, I'm sorry."

"_Don't apologize to me; I'm not your boy."_

"I know … Cy … do me a favor … please, don't tell anyone I called."

Cyborg's sigh could be heard over the phone. _"Whatever you say, Grayson … goodbye."_

_**-( scene break )-**_

The lights were dimmed in the infirmary and Raven's body floated stiff as a board over the med station bed, gently bobbing up and down while the healing magic did its thing. The look on her face was tranquil and expressionless. Her nose was no longer swollen and her face was bruise free.

An electrocardiograph beeped in the background, the only sound in the room, recording her perfectly regular heartbeat, which slowed to 20 beats per minute while she was in her healing trance. As she continued to float in the air her heart beat began to speed up, until it returned to her normal 65 beats per minute rate when she was at rest. Her body began its descend and gently landed on the bed, like a snowflake falling to the ground.

She opened her eyes and sat up, rubbing her forehead and groaning. Her healing trance could do wonders but it never fully healed her, the final touches had to be performed at nature's pace. Her nose was no longer broken and she gingerly inspected it with her hand. It had a bandage on it, Cyborg probably made sure that it was set straight before she healed it. She gingerly removed the bandage and carefully tweaked her tiny proboscis. Her nose was still sore but it had healed perfectly.

She swung her legs over the side of the bed and groaned loudly.

"Your ribs are probably still cracked, dear; you should take it easy for now. Cyborg says you were lucky, that you had seven fully broken ribs … it's sheer luck that none of them punctured your lungs."

Rita emerged from the shadows and stood next to the still seated Raven, removing her IV in the process.

"I still feel like crap."

"Not surprising, they beat the hell out of you, especially that so called sister of yours. I have to say, that healing trance of yours is something to behold. Your injuries would have landed a normal person in the hospital for days."

Raven stood up and turned on the overhead lights. Rita's face was bruised.

"Rita, are you OK?"

She pointed at her face. "This? I'll be fine."

Raven placed her hand over Rita's face. "Here let me help …"

Rita gently pulled her hand away. "It's OK, you're still recovering. I'll be fine."

"How long was I out?"

"Just a few hours, you didn't miss the Dedication ceremony."

Raven suddenly looked concerned. "My guys … how are Gar and Mark?"

Rita placed a hand on Raven's shoulder. "Our guys are fine. Garfield has been taking care of Mark while you recovered. I have to say, I'm impressed, he knows how to changes a diaper and give a baby a bottle, he knows more about it than I do … I've never changed a diaper in my life."

Raven smiled. "It really isn't that hard … Rita, earlier you said I was your daughter-in-law to be, but when my siblings showed up you told them I was your daughter-in-law. And just now you referred to Mark as one of your guys."

"Yes, I did."

"So does that mean …" Raven asked in an apprehensive tone.

"Yes, it does … welcome back to the family, dear."

Rita wrapped her arms around Raven, who reciprocated her gesture. After a moment they released each other.

"I know I don't deserve anyone's trust … you were right about Dick … how could I have been so stupid? I almost lost the man I love."

"He was hurt Raven, really hurt. He found some comfort in the policewoman's arms for a while, but I'm glad he's back with you. Mireya was nice but too ordinary for him. You won him back and winning a loved one's trust back after betraying them, that isn't easy. I should know."

"Why did you … Sergio?" Raven asked in a meek voice. "I just ask because maybe it will help me understand why I did what I did."

"We were both very comfortable with them, dear. You've known Grayson for years and by your own admission you did have a crush on him for a long time and were emotionally intimate with him. Sergio was my friend with benefits for years … as to why I didn't stop seeing him right away after Steve and I became a couple … all I can say is that it was pure reckless impulse."

Raven sighed. "Me too … I can't understand it … I just wanted to have him, even if it was just for one night. It didn't mean that I stopped loving Gar or didn't want to marry him. I guess maybe I was curious … my only other sex partners … if they can even be called that … were duds, Gar was at the time the only lover I've ever had an orgasm with."

"You were wondering if you could enjoy sex with another man." Rita remarked, nodding knowingly.

"I was, there really is no other explanation … Azar! I can't believe I was so self absorbed … I already had a fantastic lover, a man who had agreed to marry me … what was I thinking?"

"And what was your conclusion? Can you enjoy sex with other men? Do you enjoy casual sex?"

"Physically Grayson knows how to please a girl, he's well endowed and the orgasms were intense. I won't lie, I did enjoy sleeping with him, I guess I do like casual sex, sort of … but every time we had sex, it also felt … mechanical … when I make love with Gar, I feel like our bodies and souls come together and become one … I never felt that way with Dick, with him it was just a fuck, a really good fuck, but nothing more … and I felt empty afterwards, when he'd just roll over after he was done and fall asleep … I would silently cry myself to sleep and I'd hate myself … I realized that all I really want was to be back with Gar."

"You know the old Benjamin Franklin saying, about experience?"

"I do … 'experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other'. I learned that I was a fool… and I paid dearly … we are back together but I know that I've left a terrible scar on our relationship, one that will never fully heal. And now, because I was a self centered idiot … Gar is changing diapers on my illegitimate son."

"I think we both are alumni from Ben Franklin's school, and we're lucky to have such forgiving men." Rita chuckled. "Garfield changing diapers, who would have thought that he had it in him? He does have the fatherly instinct … it's too bad you can't have children of your own."

Tears began to drip down Raven's face and she turned away from Rita.

Rita wrapped her arms around the sorceress. "Oh Raven … I'm so sorry. Believe me, I understand … when I had the accident I became sterile. Prior to that I never really thought about having children … I was too busy with my acting career, but when Dr. Caulder told me I would never have children … I was devastated. Then we met Garfield. It didn't take us long to decide to adopt him."

"We do have a lot in common … don't we … mother?" Raven sniffled.

Rita kissed Raven on the forehead and hugged her even tighter. "We do, my daughter, we do."

_**-( scene break )-**_

So, have any of you seen the new show yet? If you have, what do you think of it, beyond the obvious, that we would all have preferred that they continue the original show?

My take is I will watch it, but only because it falls into the "it's better than nothing" category. I was especially disappointed with the "Pie" episode. The Sandwich episode, while also stupid, did have a few good moments: Raven being a secret pony show fan (a brony?) especially since Tara Strong voices one of the ponies in the real pony show and Robin scaring the guy in the supermarket demonstrating his staff as a weapon ("it gets the job done").

Maybe if we start a letter campaign we might get another movie.


	42. The Presentation

Before we get started I have a couple of shout outs for some new and promising writers here in the Teen Titans section.

The first one is krostovikraven1 and her very original story titled "BeastBoy's living past". It's very entertaining and well paced.

The second one is TigerStriper and her story "Why You Loved Me". This story is just beginning and looks very promising as well.

We don't often get new and talented writers in this section, so I encourage you to check out these stories, and don't be shy … leave them a review or two. It always makes a writer's day to receive them!

_**-( scene break )-**_

Dick grumbled as he pulled into the parking garage, snatching the ticket stub from the automatic dispenser. The electric gate slowly raised its arm, allowing him access into the structure. He stomped on the accelerator on the Porsche, squealing the tires.

Even though he had somewhat reconciled with Bruce he wasn't sure if that meant he had access to the cars in the Wayne garage. Alfred had told him to just take a car, as he didn't have time to ferry him to the hospital. He decided to grab the old 911S, which of course was in tip top shape, good as new even though it was over 10 years old. The odometer showed a mere 23,428 miles on the clock and speaking of clocks, according to the one on the dashboard he was already 15 minutes late. He had promised Gordon that he would be there at 11 AM when the medical staff would break the bad news to Babs, unfortunately there had been a huge pile up on the interstate. Dick of course knew of alternate routes he could take. But he was still late.

After parking the car and riding the elevator to her floor he dashed to her room, earning a glare from the head nurse as he ran past her desk, which he didn't even acknowledge. There were still security guards at the door, who this time recognized him and did not attempt to intercept him. He burst into the room and saw that they had begun without him.

"Sorry I'm late … there was traffic …"

There were two doctors in the room, neither of which Grayson recognized. They glanced at him before turning back to Babs. The senior physician, a silver haired woman with the "Dr. Kadien" stitched on her white lab coat, turned back to Babs and resumed speaking.

"… the good news is that we haven't seen any signs of metastasizing. I still want to give you a full chemotherapy treatment, just to be safe."

Barbara Gordon was a strong woman, of that there was no doubt. She was truly fearless, she'd take on thugs that outweighed her by a factor of two or more. She'd face down mad men and monsters that would send her father's best men and women running for cover, and she'd do it without flinching. The red head had bravely faced her own paralysis and instead of sulking in her wheelchair, feeling sorry for herself, she reinvented herself as Oracle, the Bat Clan's mastermind.

Dick knew her well, and he was able to see through her façade, the stoic mask she wore, a mask not unlike the one Raven usually wore, and see the pain she was feeling. His only consolation was that this time he was not responsible for the suffering she was enduring, though in the big picture he realized that really made no difference at all to her.

"Doctor, how did this happen to me? … I'm so young."

The younger physician cleared his throat.

"These things happen, Miss Gordon, even the young get cancer, though it isn't common." He flipped through some papers on a clipboard he was holding. "However, according to your medical records you have been exposed to both Joker Gas and the Scarecrow's Fear Gas. That you recovered from that alone is astounding, especially for a civilian … unfortunately no one knows if there are any insidious side effect to those toxins … I'm not saying that they gave you cancer, but who really knows?"

"I see." Babs replied grimly. "I guess I should count my blessings."

Dr. Kadien stepped back into the fray. "You should indeed, Miss Gordon. Not only will you walk again, but we caught a potentially life ending cancer early and were able to nip it in the bud. I know you aren't feeling very lucky right now, but believe me … you are."

The two physicians exchanged pleasantries with the Gordons and excused themselves. Dick sat down next to his new girlfriend while her father seemed pensive. He looked at them and saw that they were holding hands and looking wistfully into each other's eyes.

"I'm going to get some coffee." He announced to no one in particular and left suddenly, giving them their privacy.

Dick leaned forward and kissed Barbara tenderly, several times. After they stopped he cupped her check with his hand and looked her in the eyes.

"Babs … I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault, besides the doctor's right, I'm going to be fine."

"Fine? They had to remove your ovaries …"

"So I'm not gonna have kids … I never wanted any. So no biggie … sure, the hormonal replacement therapy will suck, though they now have skin patches you can wear."

"You don't want to have kids?"

"No, not really." She gave him a puzzled look. "I don't get it, why are you so upset? I thought there wasn't any room in your life for kids."

"I … uh … would have liked to have had one with you."

She smirked at him. "Well, it isn't gonna happen, Dick. Are you terribly disappointed?"

"A little, I guess."

"You know, you already have a son. And if you hitch your wagon to me, he might be the only one you'll ever have."

"I know."

"So what are you going to do about it?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know … I know he's my son, but … he doesn't feel like he's my son."

"How could he? You've never even seen him."

"I know … Babs … he can't be a part of my life because of Raven … can't you see? … She isn't my ex, she was a mistake. She's Gar's girl, she always has been. Back in Bludhaven, when we had sex, she would think about him, I could tell. I was never really anything to her. All I did was fuck up, ruin her engagement and get her pregnant. I've caused enough grief in her life ... I should just stay away."

"Yeah, you did that, Grayson, you did. What you did to them was pretty shitty … but at least you grew from the experience … it wasn't a total loss."

"I lost two of my closest friends, because I couldn't keep my dick in my pants."

"Then maybe you need to reconcile with them."

"Sure … easier said than done."

"I never said it would be easy. You're not gonna just be able to walk up to Garfield, extend your hand to him and say 'no hard feelings, right pal, it was just a misunderstanding?' It's going to take time Dick, but unless you take the first step, it isn't gonna happen."

"First step? What would that be? Where do I even begin?"

"How about you go to the Dedication ceremony and meet your son."

"You mean just walk back in like nothing happened?"

She glared at him. "Don't be stupid. You've been invited to attend. Ideally you should participate in the ceremony. I've done some research into it, the biological father, even if not legitimate, presents the child with the mother to the community."

"I can't do that, that would be an insult to everyone present … I would look like an ass."

"Maybe you would, but at least you would be demonstrating that you accept Mark as your son."

Grayson looked away, with a pained expression in his eyes. "Maybe, he isn't mine anymore."

Babs shifted her weight in the bed and groaned. "Oww … pain killer's wearing off … Dick … listen, I know that you've resigned yourself to having Raven and Garfield raise your son … and that's OK, heck I'm fine with it, to be honest I wouldn't want him around all the time… but he's still your boy … go to the damn ceremony, even if it's only as a spectator. It'll be a start Dick … they'll know you came and that will begin to open the door … I really think that you will be able to reconcile with them someday."

"I don't know Babs …"

"Dick Grayson! Get your ass to Jump City! The ceremony is tomorrow; take one of Bruce's executive jets if you have to … just go!"

Jim Gordon popped his head back into to room. "I'm not interrupting you kids, am I?" He asked as he sipped on his coffee.

Dick leaned over and kissed Babs before rising to his feet.

"No Jim, not at all." He replied.

_**-( scene break )-**_

_The night before the ceremony …_

The changeling was sitting in the bed, reading a service manual for the T-Ship's new engines. He groaned in frustration as he slammed the binder shut. On the cover it said "Mark IV Engine Service Manual."

"This makes my head hurt."

Raven was tucking Mark in for the night into his crib.

"If it's any consolation, I'm not mechanically inclined either … but Cyborg's right, we need to be able to repair the engines ourselves if he's not around."

"We just learned how to service the Mark III series engines, why did he have to upgrade them?"

"Because 1) They're more powerful, 2) They're more reliable and 3) Because they're more fuel efficient."

He gave her an uncharacteristic glare. "That was a rhetorical question."

"Oooh, not only does he fix complex jet engines, he uses big words now too!" She teased him.

"Just you wait and see … I'll be Mark IV certified before you are."

"Care to make a wager, big boy?" She smirked.

He grinned. "If I win, you'll eat tofu for a month."

"That's gross … ok, fine … if I win we do it cowgirl style for a whole month."

"A whole month? You're kidding. You know that's not my favorite position. When you sit on top of me I can hardly move."

"That's the whole idea, genius … it's MY favorite position."

"I thought the Anvil position was your favorite … you know … we haven't done it once that way since we got back together … I kind of miss it."

Raven pulled off her Nightgown and tossed it aside. "The Anvil isn't my favorite anymore. Why don't you get that illustrated Kama Sutra book out of your nightstand drawer and maybe we can find a new position that we both like?"

The changeling complied as his naked lover slipped under the covers and snuggled up next to him. He opened the book and began to flip through its pages.

"How about the union of the cow?" He asked.

She leaned over and looked at the drawing on the page.

"You mean doggie style? No thanks … I'm not a dog, that's your department … I like to be able to see your eyes and face while we make love." She took the book from him and scanned through it. "Here's one we haven't tried in a long time … The Fruit Tree Position."

He looked at the picture and shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

"You don't sound very convinced … is something wrong? Or are you just stuck on doing it doggie style?"

He took the book from her and tossed it on the nightstand. "The fruit tree's fine."

"So what's the matter then … something's bothering you, I can tell."

He gave her a quick smile. "That's what I get for having a girlfriend who's an empath; I can't hide anything from you."

"Why would you hide anything from me?" She asked with a hint of concern in her voice.

"Because it's dumb."

"How about you let me be the judge of that? If something's bothering you, I want to know."

His body was tense and she could feel his unease. She pulled him into a kiss and looked him in the eyes. "You know you can trust me, right?"

He nodded his affirmation. "It's about the ceremony tomorrow."

"The Presentation? Are you uncomfortable with it? I know that he's Grayson's son … Gar … you don't have to attend if it makes you feel …"

He placed his fingers over her lips and shushed her. "No, it's not that … I know that Dick is supposed to present Mark with you. But I doubt that he'll show up … The thing is … I know it's not my place but … I'd like to present Mark with you, even if Grayson does show up."

Raven locked eyes with him.

"I know, it goes against the tradition … but, it's something I'd like to do, Rae."

The petite gray sorceress stared at her mate. "You want to take the father's place in the ceremony?"

"Yeah, I know, I'm bucking tradition."

"10,000 years of tradition … Gar, this would be unprecedented … no one had has ever done that, not even when the father died before the Presentation."

"I guess it would be kind of unconventional."

"Unconventional? It would be an affront to everything that is near and dear to Azarathian culture. There would be riots on Azarath were this substitution was performed."

"So … it's a bad idea … right?"

"It would be … in Azarath." She paused "But we're not on Azarath."

He chuckled nervously. "Yeah, I guess we're not."

"Gar … do you understand what your gesture would mean?"

"Uh … that I would be kind of like his step dad?"

She shook her head. "No … it would mean that you are staking your claim as his true father. Under Azarathian law the biological father could challenge you to duel to death. And even if you won, there would still be repercussions … you'd be ostracized, maybe even lynched."

"Even if the dude is already dead?"

"Especially if he's already dead. His orphans are his heirs. To claim them as your own ends his succession, the end of his lineage. It just isn't done. Even if you marry his widow, the children are never yours."

"But Grayson doesn't give a shit."

"I know … Gar … but I need to know something else, why are you offering to do this? You do understand the implications. You'd be claiming Dick's son as your own flesh and blood. Are you sure you want to do this?"

The changeling sat up in the bed. Raven did the same, and locked eyes with him.

"He's your son Rae, and for that reason alone he's important to me, really important. Even though he's still a baby I can tell he's a good kid … don't ask me how I know, I just do. He needs a dad and it's pretty obvious that his father isn't interested. I'm never gonna have kids of my own … It makes sense Rae; nothing's ever made more sense to me."

Raven wrapped her arms around him and pressed her forehead into his chest.

"Rae, are you OK?"

"Gar, I want to ask you to marry me again, if you're going to be my son's father then I should be your wife … but … I'm not ready yet … you understand, it's not because I don't want to ask you … there's nothing I want to do more than that … I'm just afraid that if we move forward now, that I'll just go and screw it up again."

"I know, it's OK, it's no biggie."

"Will you wait for me until I'm ready? I … I just don't know how long that will take … I told your mother that it would be soon, but I'm still scared ... I've made progress but I still don't trust myself."

He put his hand behind her head and drew her into a kiss.

"I'll wait for you until the end of time."

_**-( scene break )-**_

The sight was a wonder to behold.

Two days ago it was the Tower's vestibule, the most unused room in the building and the largest one too. But today it was an Azarathian temple. Or at least an amazing replica.

The upholstered chairs that normally lined the walls were gone and the square pillars on the walls had been replaced with marble Greek columns. There were statues of the greatest spiritual leaders in Azarath's history between the columns, great philosophers and thinkers. Raven recognized all of them, but one stood out amongst them all: Azar, her teacher.

Long blue banners hung along the walls, adorned with golden Azarathian glyphs that proclaimed the tenets of their faith: pacifism, mercy, charity, deference and humility.

At the end of the room stood an altar, which appeared to be ornately carved out of marble as well. A copy of the Book of Azar rested on the altar and there was a golden chalice on it as well.

Everything looked perfect and nothing gave away that it was all fake, made of plastic and plaster of Paris. Cyborg had outdone himself, with Starfire's help. There was no way she could ever thank them enough or repay them for this, it was simply mind boggling, all she had expected was maybe a few banners hung on the walls and a makeshift altar, but this … it almost felt like she had returned to Azarath.

Raven's thoughts turned to her friend, the Grand Ruler of Tamaran, who volunteered to help set up the simulated temple. She was no doubt suffering, but she did not exteriorize it. Blackfire had fled into space; taking Malfore with her, his betrayal was now as evident as Blackfire's. The Grand Ruler would initiate the annulment proceedings when she got home, though not everything could be undone with the stroke of a pen, not the pain of his betrayal or the new life that was growing in her womb. Suddenly, she and Raven had even more in common, as she too was to become a single mother. Poor departed Galfore, at least he never learned of his nephew's treachery and betrayal.

While Raven admired the altar, which was a stunning reproduction of the one in the main temple back on Azarath, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She slowly turned around and saw a mountain of a man before her.

"Greetings, Miss Raven. I believe that you have something for me."

The man was huge and muscular and wore a tight fitting red unitard with golden boots, a golden sash around his waist and a white cape around his neck. If all that didn't identify him then the golden lightning bolt on his chest certainly did: He was Captain Marvel, the Mightiest of Mortals, the one member of the Justice League whose power rivaled that of Superman.

Raven popped open a compartment in her belt and produced Black Adam's ring, which she handed over to the 'big red cheese'.

"Thank you. I will personally take this to the Rock of Eternity and give it to the Wizard. It will never again fall into the wrong hands."

"That would be a relief." She replied.

Marvel tucked the ring into his belt sash and then looked back at Raven.

"You've used its power once, if I am not mistaken."

"In an emergency, though it felt like it used me."

"True … the ring is dangerous … though now that you've used it, you're one of us … you're a Marvel. The Wizard asked me to tell you that you are welcome to return with me to the Rock of Eternity, and he will grant you the powers of the gods, this time without Black Adam's curse."

She shook her head. "I'm not worthy of being one of Shazam's champions. Like Black Adam, I harbor my own darkness ... it would be dangerous to grant me such powers."

"Are you sure, Raven? The Wizard has been watching you, and he thinks you are worthy."

"No … I'm not … tell him that my heart isn't as pure as yours is, Billy Batson. And besides, you already have a Mary Marvel in your little club."

Cap chuckled. "The Wizard told me you'd say that."

"And I'm predictable too … will you be staying for the ceremony?"

"I will, I wouldn't miss it for anything … and speaking of which, I see that people are arriving and taking their seats."

"It is time, please excuse me, I need to get ready for the ceremony. Please thank Shazam for his offer, I am truly humbled that he considered me worthy."

Raven thanked him again for coming and quickly left the vestibule, entering a small conference room that was behind the large hall. There she found Garfield, Starfire, Cyborg and the Batman waiting for her. She stopped in front of the Dark Knight. She didn't have to ask, and he already had the answer.

"He didn't say anything … I'm sorry Raven, I don't believe he's coming,"

"It's OK, we weren't expecting him anyway. You're welcome to his seat behind the altar Bruce, you are Mark's grandfather after all."

As if on cue, little Mark woke up and began to fuss, as he was ready to suckle. Raven soothed him, but meal time would have to wait, plus she was beginning to transition him to pureed foods. Nevertheless, he woke up hungry and cranky, and he began to cry.

"Great, just great. Of all times when he has to be grumpy, it would be now." She grumbled under her breath. She then felt his hand on her shoulder.

"It's gonna be fine Raven. Don't worry."

She gave him an appreciative smile. He would be there, at her side. She wouldn't be doing this alone.

"Sure … well, it's time to roll, we have a crowd waiting."

She picked Mark up and headed out the door, followed by her boyfriend, Starfire, Cyborg and the Bat. As she emerged from the conference room into the vestibule she saw that a full house had formed, not a single folding chair was empty, and that it was standing room only.

The altar was on a dais, and was almost 5 feet above the crowd. As she walked up the steps she got a better look at the assembled crowd. Many she recognized: Titans East were there, including Aqualad who looked contrite. The San Francisco team was also present, led by a beaming Wonder Girl. There were many honorary Titans as well. The crowd was rounded out by Justice League members, many of which she barely recognized like Booster Gold and others she had never met like Stargirl. The League's heavy hitters were present and sitting in the front rows: Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash and others.

Raven felt a knot form in her stomach. She had not been expecting so many to come to the ceremony, especially not from the League. In truth, while the Rite of Presentation was supposed to be a public affair, she was really hoping to keep it small and intimate, just her closest friends, not over 100 superheroes, many which she only knew by reputation.

They reached the top of the dais and turned to face the crowd, each standing in front of their throne like seat, with Raven standing in the middle, flanked by Garfield and Starfire, with Cyborg and Bats standing at the ends. Raven scanned the crowd one more time, but as predicted by Bruce. Grayson was nowhere to be found.

Still holding her son, she sat down and was followed by her entourage. Once they were seated the assembled crowd took their seats as well.

Starfire rose from her chair and stood before the altar, opening the heavy book on one of its bookmarked pages.

"Friends and Family, we are gathered today to welcome a new member to our community. As the great Azar once said every child is the responsibility of all. Through the never ending miracle of the cycle of life we are gathered here today to welcome a new person into the world, into our community of friendship and love. Azar has taught us that every child, no matter the circumstances of its birth, is a precious gift and so this newborn has been given to not only his parents, who will raise and cherish him, but he has been given to us as well, so that we may provide support and encouragement in his upbringing and formation."

She paused before turning to Raven. "Will the parents please step forward?"

Raven rose from her seat, clutching her son and approached the altar, with the changeling walking beside her. Starfire stepped aside, granting them the center stage. Mark continued to fuss and Raven gently tried to shush him while Gar caressed his scalp with his index finger.

"Parents, have you chosen a name for your son, now that he is a member of our community?" Starfire's voice boomed.

Raven looked up a Garfield, giving him a gentle nod, indicating to him that he was to reply.

"We have." He replied. "His name is Mark Roth."

Starfire gestured at the golden chalice. "Let him partake of the cup of life, a cup that we all share. It is a cup that at times will be sweet and at others it will be bitter, but it is one from which we all drink."

Raven and Garfield took small sips of the sweet wine that was in the chalice. Garfield then dipped his fingertip into the cup and placed a small drop of wine on Mark's lips. The child grimaced at the strong taste and smacked his lips.

"Your son has now emerged from the transition period between the womb and the world. He is now a full person; please present him so that he may be welcomed by the community."

Raven and Garfield carefully raised Mark above their heads, officially presenting him to the world. She felt a lump in her gut, as Garfield was standing at her side, officially proclaiming himself as Mark's father, when every soul assembled in the hall knew that was not the case. She felt small and undeserving of the man who smiling and holding her son in his hands, stood next to her. She gazed out at the crowd, the ocean of faces that churned like the waters in the bay.

And that was when she saw him. There was no mistake, she'd recognize that costume in the darkest alley.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I present Mark Roth, son of Raven Roth and Garfield Logan!" Starfire shouted.

The assembly rose to its feet and thundered their applause. Raven strained her eyes, trying to find him again. She had spotted Nightwing standing at the rear of the hall. She spotted him a second time, but he was moving in the standing crowd and vanished again. Finally, the crowd concluded their applause.

"You may be seated. This concludes the ceremony. Refreshments will be served upstairs in the common room." Starfire announced as Batman and Cyborg stood up. Raven strained her eyes and scanned the dispersing crowd one more time, but Nightwing was nowhere to be seen.

"Rave, are you OK? You look like you saw a ghost." Her mate asked.

She leaned over and pecked him on the cheek. "I'm OK, I just thought I saw Nightwing in the crowd, but it must have just been my imagination."

Raven later wrote in her memoirs that she saw Grayson one more time that day when she boarded the elevator to the common room. She saw him standing by the massive vestibule doors which were cracked open. They locked eyes with each other and he nodded at her before vanishing through the doors.

A few years would pass before she saw him again.


	43. Nevermore

_About one year later …_

A dark portal began to swirl, it ominous hum reverberated in the small room. It quickly grew in size and a lone figure stepped out through it. Raven was dressed in her civvies: a pair of designer jeans and a plain, long sleeved, Navy blue T-shirt. She was now wearing her hair long, her old signature A-line was now consigned to the dustbin of history.

The office was empty, and she was especially glad today as she was not in the best of moods. Mrs. Bukowski sometimes lingered after her appointment to take a look at the famous Titan. Apparently Steve asked her to not do that, and the middle aged divorcee had reluctantly complied, affording Raven her privacy.

The door to the therapist's office suddenly opened and Dr. Dunn emerged as he always did, with a warm friendly smile on his face.

"I heard your hum, Raven … come on in."

The psychologist was immediately able to discern that that something was afoot with his famous patient. Raven sat down on the couch, pulled one of her legs up to her chest and pursed her lips.

"So … how was your week?" He asked.

"Oh the usual, we busted Mumbo, thwarted a few robberies … nothing out of the ordinary."

"I see … so did you talk with Gar yet?"

Raven recalled her previous session with Steve. Unlike today, she was feeling very upbeat that time and had told him that she was considering asking Gar to marry her.

She heaved an unhappy sigh. "No … I didn't."

"You're looking rather unhappy, Raven. Is there anything you'd like to share?"

She leaned forward, dropping her legs and resting her elbows on them.

"I was ready to ask him. I had even planned a romantic evening out, dinner at a nice restaurant, tickets to a musical. It was going be perfect."

"So what happened?"

"We received a wedding invitation."

"I'm not following you."

Raven frowned before answering.

"Nightwing is getting married."

"And this bothers you?"

"Yes … it does."

"Do you know why?"

"I've been thinking about that … I guess it doesn't seem fair."

"And why is that?"

"Because … because I've suffered so much and he hasn't."

"You have suffered a great deal, Raven, but you've also grown in the process. You are a very different person than you were when we first met over two years ago."

"I know that, Steve, I do. I've been really pleased with the progress I've made. Gar has noticed it too and he's been dropping hints about popping the question himself, but he won't, not until I tell him I'm ready."

"And now because Nightwing is getting married, something happened to you."

"Yeah … I'm upset. You know that I haven't spoken with him in two years and the last time I saw him was at the Presentation. He has no time for his son, but he's going to get married … he's going to get married and have children with her [1], legitimate children, kids with his last name, offspring he will embrace … unlike Mark."

"I can see how that could upset you. You're seeing his upcoming marriage as a rejection of Mark and by extension as a rejection of you."

"Why does this matter to me? I rejected him, I chose to raise Mark without him, and Gar's accepted Mark as his own son. I shouldn't even care that he's marrying Batgirl. I have my life to live and I have someone who wants to share it with me."

"There is a reason you're feeling this way, Raven. With some time you'll find the answer."

"No, Steve, I'm sick and tired of waiting. I'm in love with a great guy who's taken my son on as his own. I actually now have a good relationship with my future mother-in-law. What the Trigon am I waiting for?"

"What do you want to do, Raven?"

"You remember what I've told you about Nevermore?"

"You did tell me little about it when we started our sessions. To be honest I'm not sure I understand what it is."

"Would you like me to take you there?"

"I am curious … so your emotions are really anthropomorphisized in there?"

"They are, you can actually interact with them."

"Raven, I'm not sure I'd know what to do with them. Such a concept doesn't exist in modern psychology."

"Maybe you don't need to do anything to them … maybe all you need to do is observe and help me see what's happening. You see, I've used Nevermore as a means to repress my emotions, a way to rein them in. But my goal is to not do that anymore, but I think I am, I just don't know why."

Raven opened a handbag she brought with her and pulled out her meditation mirror.

"What is that?"

"You'll need to use this to get into Nevermore."

"A mirror? Raven, you're pulling my leg, aren't you? Is this place for real?"

A gasp escaped Dr. Dunn's lips as a dark claw emerged from the mirror. Raven shooed it and it dropped back into the shimmering surface of Raven's mysterious looking glass.

"Believe me, Steve, it's for real."

Dunn slightly relaxed as he stared at the ornate hand mirror.

"There's nothing like that in the text books."

"That's because this is magic, Steve, not science."

He looked skeptically at the mirror. "Magic? I thought that only happens in Harry Potter Movies. Is it safe?"

"It is, as long as I remain in control of my mind, which I will."

The good doctor adjusted his wire rim glasses. "It could be interesting. We can only study the mind through side effects. To actually see it up close … that could be interesting … OK, Raven … I'll do it."

"One word of warning though … the ride in can be a bit bumpy."

With no warning the black claw shot out of the mirror, grabbed the stunned therapist and dragged him down the proverbial rabbit hole.

_**-( scene break )-**_

Cyborg was sitting at his desk, sifting through his email, which was copious as usual. The spam filter caught over 90% of the junk mail, but the ten percent that slipped past the filter often numbered more than one hundred messages and today was no exception, plus there were hundreds of legitimate emails as well.

As he plowed through his inbox he stumbled upon a message that caught his eye. He double clicked on the entry and a window popped open. He quickly read the message.

"Well I'll be damned!"

_**-( scene break )-**_

"Where are we?"

Dr. Dunn stared up at the dark sky populated with eerie red stars. He cautiously stepped up to the edge of the floating island they were perched on and peered over the edge, staring into the bottomless void.

"We're inside my mind."

"Does it all look like this?"

"No, it doesn't … this is where my negative emotions usually can be found, though others do wander in here as well."

The therapist looked around the dark void. Their floating island was the size of a football field. He noticed that there were a few other islands floating in the dark nightscape and like the one they stood on, they were uninhabited.

"It's kind of … quiet."

"It used to be a whole lot bigger than this."

"You mean it shrank?"

"Yes, it has. I haven't been in here since I started my therapy sessions with you. I was hoping that it would be smaller, but this … this exceeds my wildest expectations. This has all happened thanks to you."

"Actually, you did all the work Raven, I only guided you along the way … so … are there other landscapes in here?"

"Yes, there are. Follow me and I'll show you."

Raven led him to a stone arch and gestured for him follow her in. Where the arches might lead was always a mystery, but she was hoping for the meadow, or maybe the library or perhaps the lakeside. They passed through the mental gate and found themselves in a dark room. Raven stopped dead in her tracks and Dunn almost ran into her.

"I take you weren't expecting this … where are we?"

Raven froze and looked around. She recognized it immediately and quickly hoped that she was mistaken. Unfortunately she wasn't. They were in a familiar kitchen.

"This is Nightwing's loft in Bludhaven … what is this doing in my mind?"

"I'm only guessing, but maybe something important happened here. Is this where …"

"No, that happened on a beach. But I did move in here after Gar dumped me."

"I see … so you must associate a lot of the memories of your brief romance with him."

"I wish I could forget them."

Dunn pointed at the door that led out of the kitchen. "Should we explore the rest of the loft?"

"I don't know … I don't think I should be here." She gulped.

"What are you afraid of finding in there, Raven?"

"I'm not sure … this place … it just feels wrong."

"I imagine that it harbors painful memories for you."

Raven pointed at the door. "There's a bed in there … where we slept together … we had sex in that bed."

"You made a mistake in there Raven, but that's in the past. You can't allow that event to define the rest of your life."

"How can I ever forgive myself?"

"Garfield has already forgiven you. You need to do the same."

"So you're saying that I need to go in there? I have no idea of what's waiting for me in there."

"Which is why you need to confront it. Raven, this is amazing, you'll be able to accomplish right now what might take another year of therapy to resolve."

"But I'm afraid, how do I deal with the unknown in that room?"

Dr. Dunn looked at Raven square in the eyes. "The only thing you'll find in there is yourself. Don't you see Raven? Instead of spending time unburying this via conventional therapy it will be right in there. The reason that Nightwing's engagement has so unnerved you is probably on the other side of that door."

Raven felt her mouth go dry. "Maybe you're right, but I'm still scared. I guess this is where you separate the women from the girls."

"No guts, no glory." He replied as he smiled.

Raven stepped out of the kitchen into the main room in the loft. It was a very large room with a tall vaulted ceiling. There was a pool table next to the windows, and next to it was a sitting area where the couch and TV resided. A small gym with a Bowflex machine and some martial arts gear was in the third corner.

In the fourth corner was the "bedroom", which consisted mostly of a king sized bed. Raven hesitated before turning to look at it and when she did she saw that Steve was already standing in front of the bed, facing an emoticlone who was sitting on its edge. The room was too dark to discern the color of her cape. Dr. Dunn then turned to Raven.

"So … what do I do?"

"You can talk to her … you'll find that she'll be somewhat single minded."

"So she represents one of your emotions? And what do you mean by being single minded?"

"If she was Bravery, she would be talking about kicking butt, if she was Lust you wouldn't be able to talk with her about anything other than sex."

"I see." He replied as he turned to the emoticlone. "Uh, how do I address her?"

"My name is Raven, asshole!" The emoticlone bellowed.

Dunn flinched at the outburst, but quickly recovered. "I'm sorry, please forgive me."

"You'd better be sorry … what do want anyway?"

"Nothing really … I just want to talk."

"That's what they all say."

"Who exactly is 'they'?" He asked.

"Men! Who else!?"

"I don't understand."

"Of course you don't! You're a man! You don't care how I feel! You just want to fuck me and then when you're done you'll throw me away like a piece of trash."

To his credit, Dunn kept his cool while Raven watched from a distance.

"Raven, why do you feel that way?"

"WHY DO I FEEL THAT WAY!? Are you stupid or do you just act that way because you're a man?"

"No, I'm not stupid, but I am ignorant, and the only way to deal with that is to tell me why you feel this way."

"Azar! You really are dense … fine … I'll spell it out for you: Nightwing, Aqualad, Dylan and Malchior!"

Dunn turned to the complete Raven. "Malchior? Was he another lover?"

"No, just a jerk who used me … I'll tell you more about him later."

Steve turned back to the emoticlone. "You've had some bad luck with men Raven … it's true …"

"Luck had nothing to do with it … men suck! All they want from me is sex."

"Raven, you know that all men are not like that. Garfield isn't like that."

"He doesn't count."

"Why not? How is he different?"

"He's Garfield, you moron! He is different! And he's mine; no one can have him, not Mireya, not Jillian and especially not Terra!"

"I see … so tell me Raven, what do you think about Nightwing's engagement?"

The emoticlone leaped to her feet and grabbed the therapist by the lapels on his corduroy jacket, shaking him vigorously. She was amazingly strong for being such a petite woman.

"He's scum! He doesn't deserve her or any woman! He hates my son! Oh sure, I was good for rolls in the hay but now he's rejected both of us!"

"I thought you broke up with him?"

"I did! But once I became pregnant he treated me like a leper! He promised to marry me if our fling went awry. But did he? Hell no! Sure he brought me here, but I was just a fuck buddy to him. I never meant anything to him and neither does his son!"

"You told me that you saw him at the Presentation."

"Would it have killed him to come forward and actually hold his son, instead of hiding in the crowd like he was embarrassed or something?"

"Maybe he was ashamed of himself."

"And I wasn't? I stood in front of all my friends and colleagues, with my illegitimate son in my arms and the man I cheated on standing next to me. That's embarrassed! But I did the right thing. I could have destroyed Mark before he was born and kept quiet about it. No one would have known … well … Garfield would have known."

"You have every right to be upset Raven, some terrible things have happened to you. But you're letting your anger affect your relationship with Garfield."

"That's not true, it's separate from him."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Of course I am! You know that he's my lover, the only real lover I've ever had."

"I know that, you told me last week that you were going to propose to him. But once you heard about Nightwing's engagement … well … you fell apart. At first I thought that maybe you still had feelings for him, but now I think I see what's going on."

The emoticlone faded away and he heard the real Raven, who was still standing behind him, begin to sob. He turned around and she wrapped her arms around him, as she continued to cry.

"It's OK to be angry, Raven, to be angry with every jerk who's used you. But you need to let it out, to acknowledge it and to accept it. You made some mistakes, some really big ones, but they don't reduce your value as a person. You've also suffered a great deal and you've grown."

"I know, Steve, I know."

"So are you ready to forgive yourself?"

She nodded as she sniffled. "I am … and I'm going to ask Gar to marry me, before I make another stupid mistake and lose him forever."

"I think you're done with making stupid mistakes. Congratulations Raven … I don't think you need to see me anymore."

The therapist released Raven and looked around the dark loft.

"So, how do we get out of here?"

_**-(scene break )-**_

The common room was bustling with activity when Raven entered through the sliding doors. Garfield was sitting on the floor in front of the couch, playing with a small wooden train set with Mark. Cyborg was in the kitchen, preparing dinner with help from Wonder Girl and Robin, who were visiting from the San Francisco Tower. Bumblebee, Kid Flash and Jinx were sitting on the crescent shaped couch, talking about Wally and Jinx's decision to finally officially join the team in Jump City.

Everyone was so deeply engaged in their activities that they didn't notice her arrival. Only Garfield looked up and smiled at her before resuming play time with Mark, pushing the wooden Swedish train set along the wooden track. Raven suddenly felt exhilarated, she hadn't felt this way in years.

She walked around the couch and picked her son up from the floor and after pulling a wooden caboose out if his mouth and handing it to Gar, she kissed her son.

"How did it go today?" Gar asked her.

"It went well, very well." She replied as she handed Mark to Jinx. "Gar, would you please sit on the couch for a moment."

"Aww, but I'm so much fun playing with the Brio train." He smirked.

"Gar … on the couch, please?"

He gave her a funny look. "Is there something you want to tell me?"

"Just sit on the damn couch before I change my mind."

Bumblebee and Jinx gave each other odd looks, but said nothing. Gar grinned sheepishly and scrambled onto the couch and patted the spot next to him, inviting Raven to join him. Instead she maneuvered in front of him. This was immediately noticed by all present.

"She's finally gonna do it." Wonder Girl remarked in the kitchen area.

Raven dropped onto her right knee.

"It's about fucking time." Robin replied in a whisper.

"Language, Tim.' Cassie chided him in jest.

Raven then took the changeling's right hand and locked eyes with him.

"Garfield Logan, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me. You're the light of my life, the man who taught me that my life is worth living. I want to spend the rest of that life with you."

Raven paused and the entire room fell silent.

"Will you marry me?"

_**-( scene break )-**_

[1] Babs sterile condition has been kept a secret. Raven doesn't know about her hysterectomy.


	44. A Visit to Bludhaven

Oblivious to all of the eyeballs that were focused on them, Raven stared up from her kneeling position at her boyfriend. He smiled back at her, but did not reply, though she felt his grip slightly tighten.

The room fell silent, even young Mark could sense that something important was about to happen and stopped fussing. Jinx caressed his head as she leaned towards them. Bumblebee also leaned forward, as if it would give her an advantage when hearing the changeling's response. Cassie stirred an otherwise empty pot as she too waited, mesmerized, for the changeling's response.

"C'mon, B, what are you waiting for?" Cyborg muttered under his breath while Robin not so subtly leaned over the counter.

The tension in the air was electrifying and everyone literally stopped breathing. Finally, Raven broke the silence.

"You did hear what I asked, right?"

Just as the changeling opened his mouth to answer, the sliding doors swished open and Kid Flash, with a pizza box in his left hand, zoomed into the room, sliding to a halt behind the couch. He popped the box open, revealing an already half eaten pizza, which he resumed devouring.

"What's chomp going on? chomp Why chomp,chomp is everyone chomp so quiet? … Hey … I'm out of pizza!"

"Shut up, Wally." Jinx snared at him.

"Hey, if you wanted some pizza, you should have spoken up."

"I said, shut the hell up!"

"Hey! Why are you yelling at …" He paused when he noticed Raven's was kneeling in front of her beau. "Ohhh!"

The speedster sat down next to his lady and grinned at the Chromatically Challenged Couple™.

Raven turned to the pink haired hextress. "Thank you, Jinx. I was just about to slap him."

"You still can." She smirked back.

Raven turned to boyfriend. "Are you going to give me answer, or is this some kind of twisted payback?"

Garfield stood up and picked his petite mate up from under arms and spun around on the balls of his feet.

"Of course I'll marry, you!"

Raven wrapped her legs around his torso and pulled him into a deep kiss, while the crowd heaved a huge collective sigh of relief.

"Dudes! You didn't even think for a minute that I was gonna say no?"

"Booyah!" Cyborg shouted as they a mobbed the re-engaged couple.

Robin stayed next to the tin man. "We need to celebrate this. We should take them out for dinner. We can eat your three meat spaghetti tomorrow."

"Sure, why not … I sure wish Star and Nightwing were here."

"What's Kori been up to? I haven't heard any news from Tamaran. Have you guys been in touch?"

"No … we haven't. Star went home two days after the Presentation, and that's the last time we heard from her. She won't return our calls."

"Did something happen to her?"

"No … she's fine … well, she's still the Grand Ruler of Tamaran. I follow most of the interplanetary news feeds. She's been busy; she was just on Rigel 4 last week, signing a cooperation treaty for the Rigellians. But she's stayed clear of Earth."

"Wasn't she pregnant?"

"She was, but there's been no official announcement of a royal birth. I've done some searching for any news about that, but I've found nothing."

"What about Blackfire and Malfore?"

"Again, nothing's been announced. But there is a bounty on Blackfire's head, a really big bounty."

"How big?"

"At current exchange rates it's roughly the equivalent of one billion dollars if she's captured alive and 100 million if she's dead." Cyborg remarked.

"She's wanted dead or alive? … Wow … And those are some bounties … a billion bucks … jeez, I'm surprised they haven't been captured yet. That kind of money has to be a strong motivator."

"Yeah, it is. She's really good at hiding. She's knows she's in trouble. Treason against the crown isn't taken lightly anywhere, but especially not on Tamaran. I doubt they'll ever find her."

"I guess not, I mean … she can fly on her own through the vacuum of space, how could they ever find her … did you say that you wish Dick was here too?"

"Yeah … I know, after all that happened … you gotta understand, Tim, we were family."

"Well, it seems to me that he's gone back to his old family. I can't believe he's gonna marry Babs."

"Why do you say that? They seem like a good match."

"She's a total skank, he doesn't have any idea of what he's getting into with her."

Cyborg rubbed his chin as he watched the impromptu celebration continue.

"I think he knows."

_**-( scene break )-**_

Two pairs of legs, one pair gray and the other green, dangled over the edge of the Tower's rooftop. As they held hands Raven leaned over and pecked her fiancé on the cheek.

"That was a nice dinner." He remarked offhandedly.

"It reminded me of another dinner, almost 3 years ago … Gar … thank you for believing in me. That day at your parents estate, you were so angry … I didn't think we would ever reconcile back then, everything seemed so hopeless … I really thought I lost you forever."

"So did I. But when you came back, even though you were pregnant … I was glad … I was glad you were here."

"Even though you were with Mireya then … tell me Gar, what attracted you to her?"

"At first? She's uh … we'll you know."

"I know Gar, she's hot. So was it just more than sexual attraction?"

"At first I thought there was more, but after a while I realized that it was pretty much just a physical relationship."

"I know I shouldn't ask this, but … was she good?"

"Was Grayson?"

"I'm sorry; I shouldn't have asked … I guess I haven't exorcised all my demons."

"What do you mean?"

"Insecurity … I know I'm a lot better now." She raised her gray hands in front of her face. "I used to think I was a freak … when I saw pictures of you and Jillian on TV, that didn't help. Both she and Mireya are very attractive, more than I am."

"I could say the same about Dick. He's taller than me, has a better build, he's stronger, he has a nicer face and he isn't green."

"I like green … Gar, I'll fess up … I enjoyed having sex with him, at least at first … but only on a physical level. I never felt oneness with him … I never screamed his name and … I didn't always have orgasms with him."

"Really? I mean … you always did …"

"With you … yeah, every time … Dick is a skilled lover, he knows how to please a woman, he understands how a woman's body works; but …"

She smiled as she paused. "You're better than he is, and I mean at the purely physical level. You know how to push my buttons."

"So you came back to me because I'm the real stud?" He smirked.

She chuckled half heartedly. "No … I came back because I wanted to be with you, even if only as a friend."

"I guess it's important to be friends first, right?"

"It is, though Americans sometimes misuse the word. A friend is someone you're emotionally intimate with, a confidant, someone you really trust. The four of you, you were my first friends, but even from the beginning, you stood out, you were different …" A small smile appeared on her lips. "You were an insufferable pest back then, Azar, you really knew how to annoy me, and you had fun doing it too, don't deny it … but … you also understood me. After the Malchior affair you were the only one who knew how I was feeling, you knew what to say."

"Yeah, well … it seemed like the right thing to do at the time."

"It was … anyway, I told you about Grayson, so now it's your turn. Tell me about Mireya."

He shrugged his shoulders. "What is there to say? She's a hot blooded and passionate Latin woman."

"Isn't that just a stereotype? That all Latinas are hot blooded and natural lovers." She frowned.

"Maybe it is … but she was pretty good in bed. It's kind of funny in a way."

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Her parents are really old fashioned, staunch Catholics. We always had to have sex in secret. Also, it was pretty obvious that she's had plenty of lovers, though she denied it. Little did they know that their precious little girl is very experienced in the bedroom. She could probably give Rita a run for her money. She was very forward, she had no inhibitions at all … she actually made me feel shy and inexperienced."

"I'd hardly say you're inexperienced."

He leaned back and sighed. "Prior to Mireya all my experience was with you … well … except two romps I had with Jillian … it was kind of weird … when I was with them, all I could do was think of you."

"I still can't believe I was so stupid. I'm sorry Gar, and not just because I cheated on you … had I kept my head on straight we would have married back then and I wouldn't have a little boy … our life would be so much simpler now."

"There's no point in crying over spilt milk, Rae. It is what it is and I'm OK with it. In fact there's something I want to talk with you about …"

The Changeling's communicator suddenly chirped. He flipped it open. It was Cyborg.

"What's up Chrome Dome?"

"I'd like to talk with you guys tomorrow morning after breakfast."

"Is this about the engagement?" Raven chimed in.

"It is … well kind of. I know you guys want some quality time right now, so it can wait until tomorrow."

"We'll see you after breakfast." She replied just before Gar flipped the communicator shut. She leaned back, propping herself up on her elbows, staring at the starry sky above.

"So what did you want to tell me?"

He didn't answer immediately and appeared hesitant, as if weighing his words. Finally he spoke up.

"I want to talk about Mark and his father."

_**-( scene break )-**_

The room basked in the soft, sensuous glow of several burning candles. Their collective amber light bounced off of the vaulted ceiling, casting long and undulating shadows throughout the large room. Soft music was playing and was punctuated by gleeful giggles and laughs.

Grayson and Babs were having a playful, pre-coital foreplay session. Caresses and kisses were exchanged. He was about to suggest that they copulate when she snatched her wine glass from the nightstand and shoved it at him.

"How about a refill?"

Grayson smiled as he grabbed the wine bottle from his nightstand and poured it. Nothing came out.

"We're already out?" She complained.

"I got another one in the fridge. I'll be right back … don't go anywhere."

"I'll be here, lover." The red head purred back at him.

Buck naked, he trotted off to the kitchen and opened the fridge. The bottle wasn't there. He frowned as he jogged his memory. He was positive that he bought two bottles earlier that day.

"Are you looking for this?" A gravelly monotone called from behind him.

Grayson spun on his heels to face the intruder. She handed him the wine bottle.

"What are you doing here?" He hissed.

Before Raven could answer a naked Barbara Gordon entered the kitchen.

"Forget the wine, I'm ready for a roll in …"

She gasped when she saw the blue hooded and caped sorceress. She only knew Raven by reputation; the two women had never met before.

"What the hell are you doing here?" She screeched.

"I came to see Dick about an important matter. I'm sorry if I interrupted your bedroom fun, but this won't take long, you'll be able to get back to your carnal pleasure in a moment."

"What do you want?" Grayson asked.

"Perhaps you should put something on, Richard. You too, Barbara Gordon I presume? This also affects you, so you need to sit down with us."

Without saying a word Babs left the kitchen and quickly returned wearing a Turkish bathrobe, she handed on to Grayson, who quickly donned it. He turned to his former lover and glared at her.

"This had better be important, Raven."

"It is." The sorceress replied as she pulled a chair from the kitchen table and sat down. Grayson and Gordon did the same.

"So why are you here?" He asked.

"I came to talk about our son."

"Is he OK?"

"He's fine Dick, you would know that if you ever called to check in on him."

"So what's the deal then?" Babs asked.

"Gar and I are getting married."

"And you want to dump the kid on us!" Gordon snarled.

"Certainly not. I'm certain that you'll have your own offspring. In any case Dick isn't interested in Mark, that's not why I'm here."

"We can't have kids." Grayson blurted out, receiving a glare from his red headed fiancé. "She deserves to know, Babs."

Raven pursed her lips. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"So if you didn't come here to dump the kid on us, why are you here?" Babs fumed, clearly losing her patience.

Raven produced a manila envelope from the dark recesses of her cape and tossed it on the table.

"I want you to sign this."

He opened the envelope and shook it. Several legal forms fell out and landed on the table. He picked one up and read it, while Babs continued glaring at Raven.

"Is this what I think it is?"

"Yes, it's a release form. Once you sign it you'll renounce all rights to Mark."

He dropped the form on the table. "I don't get it. You're always complaining that I'm not involved with him. Now you're telling me to legally release him? Why?"

Raven's face remained emotionless and stoic as she replied. "Gar wants to legally adopt Mark when we get married.

Babs burst out laughing. "You're joking … why would he do that?"

"For reasons that you obviously couldn't understand, Miss Gordon."

She continued snickering, "I'm sorry … but adopting the son of the guy who stole his girl from him … that's just weird."

Raven glared at the rehabilitated Batgirl. "Mark is MY son." She pointed at Grayson. "And I was never his woman."

"If you say so, sweetheart … Dick … are you really going to sign your son away, just like that?"

Grayson sighed and picked up the prefilled forms. The places where he had to sign where already highlighted with sticky notes.

"Richard, please release him. If you won't do it for Mark or for Gar, then please do it for me."

"You don't have to do this Dick! They can have custody, but he's still your son. Don't just give up on him like that."

"You'll be able to visit him any time you want, Richard. I won't shut you out."

Grayson stared at the forms. "Babs, you said that I should try to reconcile with my friends."

"There are other ways of doing that. You're making a mistake."

"Maybe there are other ways, but I sure don't know what they are … Raven … I know that I've said this before, but I'm sorry … I'm really sorry, I didn't want things to turn out the way they did."

"Neither did I. But we can't turn back the clock, Richard. And believe me, I tried. But there was too much risk involved, too much dark magic. I'm afraid that this is what we have to deal with. Listen … Gar is willing to be the father that you don't want to be. Please sign the forms. You owe it to him."

Her last words weighed heavily on his mind as he pondered them in silence. It was true; he owed the changeling a debt, a terrible, unrepayable debt.

"Babs, what do you think?"

Gordon snorted. "Does Changeling really want to do this?"

"He does. He dropped the bomb on me just half an hour ago. Like you, we also can't have children. Gar has bonded with Mark, he already thinks of him as his son … is it really too much to ask to make it legal?"

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Raven? When the boy grows up, he'll probably look like Dick. Will Garfield be able to handle that? Will he still love him?"

Raven tensed up. Grayson noticed that she briefly balled her bright fist,

"If there is one thing I know about my fiancé it's that he's a bigger man than that."

She turned to Nightwing. "Well?"

"When would you like these signed?"

Raven reached into her cape a produced a pen. "How about right now?"

Grayson took the pen from her and began to sign the forms. Once he was done he handed them and the pen to Raven. She then handed them to Babs.

"They need to be witnessed, and as the mother I can't legally do it."

"I still think it's a bad idea."

"Miss Gordon … Barbara … would you please sign them? … You're the only witness present."

Babs frowned as she snatched the papers from Raven, and with a scowl on her face she signed them.

"I don't care what these papers say … Dick is still Mark's father."

"It's OK Babs, it's better this way." Grayson soothed her.

"Thank you, Richard. This means so much to us."

"I know, and you're welcome … Raven … tell Gar that I'm sorry … that I'm sorry for everything."

"Maybe it's time that you tell him yourself."

"Not now … I'm not ready, I don't know if I ever will be … also, thank him for me. Thank him for being there when Mark was born and thank him for willing to be his dad. Tell him I'll never be able to repay him … Raven … there's no other man I would entrust my son with."

"I will … and by the way … I forgive you."

"You mean we're friends again?"

"I've always been your friend."

"And what about Garfield?"

"Someday he too will forgive you and be your friend again … will you come to our wedding?"

"Maybe … will you come to ours?"

A dark portal opened behind Raven.

"I'll be there." She replied before vanishing into the dark folds of the portal.

_**-( scene break )-**_

_Next morning …_

Raven and Garfield arrived at Cyborg's office at exactly 10AM. Raven raised her small fist and knocked. The door slid open.

"Y'all come on in." The Tin Man greeted them. "Have a seat."

"We have good news." Raven announced.

"So do I … let's hear yours first."

The gray and green couple sat down in front of his desk. The room was Dick's old office. While the Slade centric news clippings had been stripped from the walls the room hadn't changed all that much. The desk was still piled high with papers and broken contraptions and the room was dark.

"Gar is going to legally adopt Mark as his son."

A small smile appeared on Cyborg's face.

"So Nightwing agreed to give him up? Just like that?"

"He was reluctant at first, but he did agree … eventually."

Cyborg shrugged. "I guess he and Gordon will have their own."

"They can't. She tried to talk him out of it … I don't know why though … when I showed up she accused me of wanting to dump Mark on them. It's pretty clear she doesn't want Mark living with them."

"Maybe she just wanted to keep their options open." Cyborg shrugged.

"I told them that they would have access to Mark at anytime."

"That's pretty noble of you guys … so, out of curiosity, what are you going to tell Mark?"

"We're going to tell him that I'm his dad, at least at first."

"So you'll tell him the truth later? You might as well, he's eventually gonna figure out that he doesn't look anything like you, B."

"When he's older he'll learn that Gar isn't his biological father."

Cyborg leaned forward, resting his arms on the desk.

"So how do you feel about that, Grass Stain?"

The changeling shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I'm a little nervous about that … it's too bad he won't have any siblings, I think it would be easier for him if he had a brother or a sister."

Cyborg broke out in a grin. "Funny that you should mention that."

Raven rose from her chair. "Victor … are you saying that …"

"I told you I had good news. I received a message from Star Labs. They just cracked BB's genome. With a little genetic splicing you guys can have a baby of your own."

The Chromatically Challenged Couple™ stared, their mouths agape, at their friend.

"They're expecting you guys tomorrow in Metropolis. We can fly there tonight."

They didn't appear to hear him. He just smiled and watched the moment unfold before him. The changeling turned to his mate and wrapped his arms around her. She did the same and they exchanged a tender and happy kiss. They continued to kiss, until Stone cleared his throat. The changeling grinned sheepishly.

"Dude … I don't believe it … we can have kids."

"Did you say they're expecting us tomorrow?" Raven asked.

"Yeah, they are. They're pretty busy and they made time for you guys, but it has to be tomorrow, it might be years before they'll have time again. I had to call in a few favors to get you in at all. I know it's kind of soon."

"That's fine … Gar … I should ask you first. Are you OK with this?"

"Am I OK? You bet I am!"

"Good, I'll let them know you're coming … B … there's something you need to know, they need special genetic material from you … and uh … your swimmers … you r sperm, they won't cut it."

"What do you mean?" Raven asked, sensing that this wasn't going to be welcome news.

Cyborg bit his lower lip before continuing. "I know you hate needles but they're going to need samples straight from your testes."

Raven saw her fiancé suddenly pale.

"You mean they're gonna stick needles in my nuts?"

"I'm sorry man."

"Can't they like, numb me or something?"

"I asked Dr. Rigau about that. She said that they can't numb you, that it would affect the samples. I'm not gonna sugarcoat it, B, it's gonna hurt like hell."

Gar's expression suddenly became very solemn. "It's OK, it'll be worth it. Plus why should Raven be the only one to suffer."

"I wasn't suffering when I gave birth, Gar."

"You're kidding me? Don't tell me you already forgot, because I sure haven't. I seem to remember veins that were throbbing on your forehead and your blood curdling screams … it's OK Rae, if you can handle that I can handle having needles shoved into my balls."

She took his hand and squeezed it. "Cyborg, what is the probability of success?"

"Pretty good, actually. Doctor RIgau said that it was at least 90%, maybe even higher. She'll tell you about it tomorrow. Dr. Midnight will be there too."

"I still can't believe it … wait!" She shouted.

"Is there a problem Rae?"

"We need to move the wedding up."

"Up? But we haven't even set a date yet."

"Then we should … the sooner the better."

"Ok, sure … how soon?"

"Within a month or two."

"Wouldn't you rather get married in the summer?"

"I don't want to have a bulge when I walk down the aisle. I'll be showing if we wait that long. I don't want to be visibly pregnant in our wedding pictures."

Cyborg chimed in. "Don't worry Raven; I'll take care of everything. You just get yourself knocked up."

Garfield rose from his chair. "I guess we'd better get packed for tonight."

"Before you guys take off, I have some more news."

"Is it also good news?" Raven asked.

"I'm not sure. I received a message from Tamaran. Starfire's going to call at 11 AM our time."

"DUDE! That's great news! We haven't heard from her in over a year."

"The thing is, the message said that she only wants to talk with Raven."

_**-( scene break )-**_

Raven was sitting alone in their room, in front of the small video console on her desk. Time seemed to have come to crawl as every time she checked the time readout in the console screen's upper right corner at most a minute had passed.

She felt both impatience and unease gnawing at her. It had been over a year since any of them had spoken with or seen Starfire. There had been no news from her. They only knew she was alive because of official appearances she made in public as the Grand Ruler of Tamaran. She always appeared cold when in public; her face betrayed none of the joy Raven associated with alien friend.

And now, out of the blue she had contacted them. And as if that wasn't odd and ominous enough, she said that she only wished to speak with Raven. This unnerved the sorceress. Why just me? Why not talk to the others?

Her train of thought was interrupted by the trill that announced an incoming call. The clock now showed that it was exactly 11 AM. The Grand Ruler of Tamaran was punctual, if anything. Raven pressed the "Accept Call" button. A window popped open and it framed Starfire's face.

She looked haggard, as if she was carrying a great burden. Her eyes were listless and her orange complexion looked dull, almost ashen.

"Starfire? Are you OK? You look awful."

Through the miracle of subspace radio, Raven's voice was heard almost instantly on Tamaran.

"I have been better. How are you my friend?"

"Actually … I'm very well ... Starfire … we've been worried about you, we've been trying to contact you, but your palace people always tell us you aren't available. It's been over a year."

"Forgive me Raven, for I have been very occupied in my role as Grad Ruler of Tamaran. We have many enemies. The Citadel have been most troublesome as of late. But now there has been a lull in my worries and I made the time to call."

"I'm glad you did." Raven smiled. "You have no idea of how much I miss you."

"As do I. Do you have any news to share with me?"

"As a matter of fact I do. Garfield and I are getting married."

Starfire smiled upon hearing the news and for a brief moment she looked like her old self again, before relapsing back into the somber Grand Ruler.

"Did I not tell you that you would wed him someday?"

"Yes … yes you did, though I refused to believe you at the time. And I have more news. We think we can have a baby."

"And I also told you that perhaps a miracle was waiting for you."

"Yes, you also mentioned that."

"So you will soon be wed and will have a new bumgorf. Your son Mark, he is in good health?"

"Yes, he is. Grayson has agreed to allow Gar to adopt Mark."

The Grand Ruler smiled again. "Your life, it is turning out good."

"More like it's wonderful. Starfire, I want to thank you for believing in me when no one else would, not even myself."

"I had no doubts, my dear friend. You are a special person; I knew would recover from your mistake. The healer of souls, the therapist, he was able to help you?"

"He did, he helped me a lot … so tell me, how have you been? I mean, as Starfire, not as the Grand Ruler."

"I have not been well, my friend. I also miss you. I have been in great need of your wisdom this past year."

"Did you ever find Blackfire?"

"We have not. We have offered a bounty for her capture. Though it is generous they have been no confirmed reports of her whereabouts. She has simply disappeared."

"I presume that she tool Malfore with her."

"She did not. She abandoned him and he was captured."

"I see … so … I'm guessing that you divorced him, right?"

"It was unnecessary."

"It was? You mean you reconciled with him?"

The Grand Ruler glared. "Do not say such nonsense, Raven, there can be no reconciliation with him."

"I'm sorry … I'm confused. How could divorce be unnecessary?"

"It is very simple. He was executed."

Raven almost choked upon hearing her words.

"Executed? You had him killed?"

"I did nothing. He committed treason against the crown. There is but one punishment for that crime: death."

"But surely you could have stayed his execution, or maybe commuted it to life in prison."

"Our laws are simple, Raven. And unlike humans, we do not imprison those who commit heinous crimes, we execute them. Not only did he betray the crown and Tamaran, he betrayed you and my friends to a horrible fate. There is only one punishment fitting for that crime."

"But Starfire … he's the father of your baby."

"There is no bumgorf."

"What do you mean? Did something happen to your baby?"

"The law indicates that not only is a traitor to the crown put to death, so is his progeny."

Raven stared in stunned disbelief.

"You … you terminated your baby?"

"It is the law, Raven. No one is above it, not even the Grand Ruler."

"Then it's a stupid law." Raven seethed.

"You once said that you were no one to judge my culture, or have you forgotten?"

"But this is different."

"No, it is not. Raven, did you really expect me to give birth to the child of a man who never loved me and betrayed me?"

"But it was also YOUR bumgorf."

"I do not wish to speak of this any longer Raven, for it brings great pain and sadness to me."

"Forgive me Starfire; it wasn't my place to …"

"You are my friend, Raven. It was your place to tell me that you disagree with what I did."

Raven sighed. "Starfire, you know that you are my friend?"

"Yes, I do. I think of you, Garfield and Cyborg during my great trials. And sometimes … I think of him. How is he?"

"He's well … he's … getting married."

Starfire chuckled an unhappy laugh. "Somehow, I knew he would find the happiness that has eluded me."

"I'm sorry, Starfire. I wish you could be happy. If anyone deserves happiness, it's you."

The Tamaranian smiled upon hearing Raven's remark.

"I will attend your wedding, Raven. And I will be happy to see you wed."

"Thank you, I'm glad you're coming."

"Now, I am afraid that I must take my leave. Until we meet again my friend. I love you."

"I love you too, Starfire. Good bye."


	45. Mustard and Pizza

"I love you too, Starfire. Good bye."

Raven's face disappeared from the datapad's screen and was replaced by the coat of arms that had represented Starfire's family for generations: a Tamaranian octagonal battle shield, which was divided into 4 quadrants, each containing an artifact that represented the family's heraldry. In the upper left corner was the M shaped face crown which she wore. To its right were a pair of green eyes, firing their beams. On the lower left was a barrage of star bolts and to its right was a zafgnarr, the Tamaranian equivalent of a fire breathing dragon, except in the case of the zafgnarr it wasn't a mythical creature.

The grand ruler stared at the screen as a sense of melancholy over swept her. She thought Raven looked so beautiful, with her long violet locks. The expression on her face was different too. She had a long standing image of Raven in her mind where she looked emotionless yet stern. That was gone now, her gray friend looked relaxed and at ease with her emotions. And why wouldn't she? She had won back her lost love and they were once again lovers and betrothed. Most of Raven's negative traits: impatience, anger, self loathing, etc. were either gone or subdued. Starfire was amazed at what the human soul healers had been able to accomplish with her friend. There was no equivalent to the sciences of psychology and psychotherapy on Tamaran, it simply had never arisen in their warrior culture. She made a mental note to tell the Royal physicians to contact Earth so that this healing art could be brought to Tamaran. And she knew who its first patient would be. She was reflected on the datapad's screen.

Starfire was alone in her throne room, as she had dismissed her entire court prior to calling Earth. It was a cavernous room, Spartan in its simplicity. The walls were bare stone, thousands of years old and they bore the scars of countless battles that had been fought inside the palace, all proudly preserved as badges of honor. Opulence, a common sight in Earthly palaces, was absent here. This was a functional palace, not a museum where figurehead monarchs resided.

The palace was so old that the name of its builder and first occupant had been lost to history. It had been the home of many illustrious Tamaranians, including the demigoddess X'hal. It had been in Starfire's family for over 1000 Earth years, passed down, with the crown, to successive heirs over the centuries.

And now, for the first time in 1000 years, there was no heir to follow Starfire, for she had no family. Her younger brother, Wildfire, had vanished into the cosmos years ago, when she had been delivered to the Gordanians. Blackfire was a fugitive who would be executed if ever captured.

And then there was the case of her traitorous spouse. Malfore was captured on the Eridani system where Blackfire abandoned him about one month after the incident on Earth. Since he was not of royal blood his flight abilities were limited to atmospheric travel and he was unable to escape into space on his own. After being tortured he confessed his complicity with Blackfire and was sentenced by a tribunal. On Tamaran one could not appeal a sentence and he was beheaded the following day at sunrise in front of the palace gates. The Grand Ruler was not present for the execution.

But there was still the issue of the child growing in her womb. Raven was absolutely correct, that was her bumgorf. But it was also Malfore's child. She knew that should that child be born that Tamaran would reject it as her heir. There would be no room in her house for such a child, a child whose life the law would demand. Contrary to what she told Raven, she did have the authority to countermand the law, but she did not have the heart to do so. After Malfore's betrayal she began to hate the new life growing within her.

Seeing the shock on Raven's face reminded her that she wasn't human, that she wasn't an Earthling. And yet in her heart … she was. For the first time since she had the Royal Physicians terminate her pregnancy, Starfire wept over her now long lost child. She had forsaken her unborn bumgorf to help Tamaran, much as she had been forsaken to the Citadel to help her world survive. She did what she felt she had to do, but now, hearing that Raven would soon be expecting her second child she felt a great void within.

She had once told Galfore that perhaps she would find her groom on Earth. Those were simpler times, when she was still ignorant of the sexual incompatibilities between Humans and Tamaranians, a time when the she and her friends were adolescents. She recalled the puppy love she once shared with Robin, who at the time was, unlike her, a shy virgin. Adapting to human sexual mores had been challenging, and had it not been for Raven's then behind the scenes advice and tutoring she might have made a wrong impression on her friends.

Life suddenly seemed so unfair to her. Raven was a dear friend and she was genuinely happy for her. But she was also had been unfaithful and yet the Fates had rewarded her with a loving betrothed and offspring.

And then there was Richard. For years she knew him only as Robin. That did not stop her from falling in love with him. From the very beginning she admired his spirit. He was a natural leader with a strong character. Cyborg and Beast Boy had at times shown that they too were 'alphas' but they were not in the same league as Grayson. She wasn't the only one to see this in the onetime circus brat. Raven did as well, with disastrous results. She thought that she had found her soul mate in him, the one she would spend the rest of her life with. Unfortunately, Richard had other plans.

Starfire had done her best to fit in as an Earth girl, or at least one of the North American variety. She immersed herself into the popular culture. She read the magazines. She watched Oprah and other TV shows. She'd go to the mall. And it worked. None of her teammates knew that back on Tamaran she had more than a few sexual partners once she reached puberty. To them she was just a normal teenager. Of course that was a lie. She was a Tamaranian, and they wore their emotions on the sleeves.

As she continued to weep there was a soft knock on the huge wooden doors.

She dried her tears and quickly composed herself.

"You may enter."

The doors creaked open and a young make deferentially entered the room. He was of average build and like Starfire he had red hair. He was a junior member of her court, a member of the lower nobility. He was unremarkable by Tamaranian standards as he was neither very strong nor exceedingly handsome. He was new in the court, having arrived just a few weeks ago to take his brother's place, as the older sibling had been giving a commission in the military and been transferred to a field position. He walked up to the dais where Starfire's throne sat and dropped onto a knee before her.

"Your Majesty, there is news about your sister."

"What is it, Frassa'd?"

"She has been spotted in the Sirius system. The Imperial guards gave chase, but I am afraid that has escaped again. I am so sorry, Milady."

Starfire sat up straight in her throne.

"Do not blame yourself for bearing bad news. Is there anything else?"

"No, Milady, that is all."

"Very well then, you are dismissed."

Frassa'd began to walk away, but suddenly stopped and turned around.

"Milady … are you alright?"

"It is not your concern."

"Of course, please forgive me for my impertinence."

The doors opened a second time, and a palace servant entered carrying a large, covered tray which she placed on a nearby table. She bowed to Starfire and removed the lid, revealing a huge meal. The servant bowed a second time and left. It was then that Starfire noticed a warehouse club sized container of French's yellow mustard on the table.

"Mustard? Since when does the palace kitchen have mustard in its larder?"

"Milady … I took the liberty of procuring it from Earth. I ordered what the humans call a 'pallet'. I hope you are not displeased, but I was told that you are most fond of this Earth spice."

Starfire rushed to the table and picked up the yellow container. She ripped the cap off and took a swig straight from the plastic bottle. She sighed happily as she put it back down.

"Thank you, your thoughtfulness will not be forgotten."

"It is my pleasure to serve you, Milady … if I may, I will now take my leave." He replied as he bowed.

"Frassa'd, wait. I do not wish you to leave."

"Yes, Milady?"

"Dine with me tonight, I do not wish to eat alone."

"But … I do not have a title of my own … I never will, for my older brother inherited our father's title of Baron when he died, and he will pass it onto his heir … I am but a mere commoner … I am not worthy to sit at the same table with you, Your Majesty."

Starfire smirked.

"Frassa'd … for several years I lived with and dined with human commoners. I even helped clean our shared home and prepare meals."

"Yes, Milady, the Teen Titans. But we are on Tamaran, not on Earth."

Starfire smirked before she walked over to a nearby desk from which she produced a roll of parchment and a quill pen. She scribbled diligently on the parchment, dried the ink, imprinted her royal seal on it and rolled it up. She then walked up to Frassa'd.

"Kneel."

He complied

"Frassa'd of the house of Kenthar, for your services to the crown you are granted the title of Count of Ditmar."

She handed the parchment to the wide eyed young man.

"Rise, and dine with me, for I am hungry."

"Yes, Milday, I will be honored … and … I thank you for your kindness."

He ran to the dining table and pulled a chair out for her. After she was seated he began to wait on her.

"You are not a servant. Sit down and eat. I can fill my own plate."

"Yes … of course … thank you, Milady."

He sat down and cautiously served himself once she had done the same.

"How did you procure the mustard? We have no trade with Earth. We do not even have an ambassador from my old home."

"I commissioned a Rigellian trader to procure it."

"I did not see a bill for this. How was this trader paid?"

"I … I paid him myself."

"You did? But that must have been very expensive."

"It … was … a year's wages for me."

Starfire stopped eating. "Why did you do that?"

"Forgive me, Milady …"

"You may call me Koriand'r"

His eyes boggled. "Right … forgive me, Koriand'r, but you have been so sad. I have seen video footage from Earth and you seemed to be so joyful back then … I saw some footage where you were seasoning a strange wedge shaped food with it. So I did some research and ordered some. I had no idea of how much a pallet was … I am afraid that I ordered a huge supply of this mustard spice."

Starfire then surprised him one more time. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. He gave her a perplexed look and she giggled.

"Forgive me, Frassa'd, but on Earth lips are used to convey affection … I am very touched that you did this for me."

"It was my pleasure and honor, Milad … Koriand'r"

"Here, you must try it." She squeezed a large glob onto his plate.

He tasted it and smiled. "It is delicious!"

"Yes, it is. Frassa'd, please contact this Rigellian trader of yours, for I wish him to bring me something felse rom Earth."

"I am sure he can accommodate your wishes. What shall I tell him to bring?"

Starfire grinned as she replied. "A complete pizzeria."

_**-( scene break )-**_

The three Titans walked into the spacious lobby. It was more of an atrium, with its soaring glass roof and abundant vegetation. There was even a fully grown oak tree in the middle. The setting was fitting as the sign outside said "STAR Labs – Life Sciences Division".

The flight to Metropolis the night before had been uneventful and Cyborg booked them into a posh hotel across the street. Raven would occasionally wonder how they paid for everything over the years. At first Robin was in charge of finances, a duty he eventually relinquished to Cyborg. She knew that the hotel rooms cost $300 a night. She couldn't pay for that from her monthly stipend.

They followed Cyborg, Raven carrying Mark while the changeling lugged the ubiquitous diaper bag, and they reached the front desk. The receptionist, a young woman dressed in a security guard's uniform, looked up and greeted them.

"Dr. Rigau is expecting you."

She signed them in, gave them their security badges, with the words "Escort Required" prominently displayed on them. She summoned another security guard to take them to their appointment. As they walked down the maze of hallways their noses were stung by the astringent smell of antiseptics. Raven noticed Garfield tense up and took his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. He appeared to be oblivious to her gesture as he stared ahead with an ashen look on his face.

She knew of his phobia of hospitals and labs. When younger he had been locked up in one and treated like a lab specimen and to this day he hated visiting the infirmary at the Tower. She squeezed his hand again and murmured to him "Don't worry, I'll be with you."

The security guard led them to a plain brown door with the name "Dr. Helena Rigau" etched onto a plaque mounted on the wall next to it. The guard knocked politely.

"Come in."

The guard opened the door and gestured for them to enter. After they did he politely closed the door behind them and returned to the reception area.

Dr. Rigau was a young woman, of average height. She was standing behind her desk and gestured at the three chairs in front of her desk.

"Please, have a seat."

"Thank you for seeing us, doctor. Your efforts are most appreciated." Raven droned in her monotone.

"No need to thank us, Miss Raven. This work is of great interest to us. We've wanted to try this for some time; the problem was of course the lack of suitable candidates … that is until Dr. Silas Stone brought your predicament to our attention."

"You make it sound so … clinical." Gar remarked.

"For us … it is. Of course for you it is much than that. You want to have a child with each other. I'm a mother myself so I fully understand your woes and I'm personally delighted that we can help you."

"So … when do we begin? What's the schedule?" Raven asked.

"Today we'll perform a battery of tests. We can do that with blood samples, which we'll collect from you in a bit. After that you're free until tomorrow. That's when we'll collect samples from both of you."

"You mean you have to collect a sample from Raven too?"

"Yes, we'll have to extract some 'eggs' from one of her ovaries. I'm sure Cyborg has already told you that the procedures are painful. After completing the extractions you should probably go back to your hotel rooms and rest. Changeling will need to ice his testes. I'll also give you some prescription pain killers. It's a good thing Cyborg came along with you, as you won' be in any shape to tend to your infant. Miss Raven, I presume the child is from another father."

"Yes, that is correct."

"That's good, at least we know that your genome is compatible with humans … the child's father is human, correct?"

"Yes … he is human."

"OK, that's all for now. You will need to fast before the procedures. You can still have lunch today, but no dinner. We'll do the extractions first thing in the morning. Once we have the samples you may go home. We'll ship the fertilized embryos to Cyborg and we'll arrange to have someone implant one in you, Raven, at a Jump City Fertility Clinic. So, after we take you samples I suggest you sightsee here in Metropolis, it will help take your minds off of tomorrow."

**-( scene break )-**

"That's quite a view." Cyborg remarked offhandedly from his seat at the table.

The view was from the deck on "The Crow's Nest", a restaurant located on the top level of the Metropolis Tower, the 80 story skyscraper that dominated Metropolis' impressive skyline.

Mark was suckling at a bottle under his mother's care while Garfield joined Cyborg in taking in the view.

"Metropolis reminds me of home … just bigger." The green man remarked.

"I hadn't thought of that, but you're right, green bean." The tin man replied as he leaned back in his chair. "So, BB's really gonna adopt Mark?"

"That's the plan, Tin Man."

Cyborg turned to Raven. "And Dick just agreed to that?"

"After some minor cajoling, he did."

"Well, I guess that brings some closure to it. So, he's really just gonna walk away for good."

"I told him that he can visit at any time …" Raven replied as she noticed a woman approach them. She was very attractive with dark hair. She oozed so much confidence that Raven didn't need to use her empathic senses to detect it. "We have company."

The woman, who was wearing a very short skirt that flaunted her well toned legs, stopped in front of their table.

"Lois Lane, from the Daily Planet. I'd like to chat with you, if you don't mind."

"Please join us, Miss Lane, we were about to order lunch."

The bombshell reporter sat down and joined them.

"Say, isn't Clark Kent your partner … where is he?" Cyborg asked.

"Who, Smallville? Beats me, he's probably shucking corn, or whatever it is small town hicks do for fun."

Raven smirked at her. "Miss Lane, we know you secretly married Clark and that you know his alter ego … what do you want from us?"

Lois smiled sheepishly. "Touché … believe it or not, this was his idea. He would have come, except that he had some last minute Justice League business."

"And what is his big idea?" Gar asked.

Lois was carrying a large cloth bag, which she zipped open. She pulled out dozens of newspapers. Most of them were trashy gossip tabloids, but a few were reputable papers as well. All were fairly new and recently published and they all had in common: stories that speculated on who Mark Roth's real father was. She deposited them in front of Raven, who scowled at them. Cyborg picked one up, quickly glancing at it before tossing it back on the table.

"Yeah, we know … they're obsessed." The changeling replied.

"Aren't you sick and tired of it?"

"Well, yeah, but what can Rave and I do about it?"

"Rumor also has it that you're engaged, that you've been engaged for months."

"Not true." Raven replied.

"So you aren't?"

"I didn't say that. Just that we haven't been engaged for months. Miss Lane, what do you propose?"

"Clark and I brainstormed about this, and we think the best way to get them off your back is to grant the Daily Planet an exclusive interview where you clear this up once and for all."

"You're joking? We're supposed to expose our dirty laundry in public?" Gar asked indignantly.

"If you want them to leave you alone, then yes. Once you've gone on the record there will be nothing left for them to speculate about. And besides, most of the country already believes that he's Nightwing's son … they just want to know how it happened. You might as well go public with this … since it's true."

Raven scowled at her. "Let me guess … Bruce told Clark and he told you."

"Well … yes. But I would never take it public, not without your permission."

"Especially since you would have to reveal your sources, which would blow both Bruce's and Clark's secrets."

"Well, there is that too."

Raven handed Mark to Gar and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm not sure I like this idea. We are getting married in a couple of months."

"All the more reason to do it now."

"Miss Lane, I understand what you're saying … but I feel very uncomfortable about this. How can I publicly admit that I not only cheated on my fiancé, but that I got pregnant by another man, a teammate and a close friend? I'm going to come across as a slut and Gar will look like a fool for taking me back. And I'm really not motivated to share the reasons why that disaster happened."

"And I understand where you're coming from. But unless you clear this up now, I guarantee that there will be tabloid journalists waiting outside the church where you'll get married, shouting at you, and asking who Mark's father is. Sure, if you come clean now it will be media hell for a few weeks. But it will die out and since there will be nothing left to ask or find out, they will leave you alone."

Gar was rocking Mark to sleep when it was his turn to speak.

"Miss Lane …."

"Please, call me Lois."

"Right … Lois, we know you and Clark are top notch journalists, but I share Raven's concerns about this. This is something we'd rather put behind us. Coming out in public with all the sordid details … I don't know … I don't feel right about this."

"How about you come to our place for dinner? Clark should be back by then."

"We'll come, but we can't eat." Raven remarked.

"They have to fast for a medical procedure tomorrow morning."

"Medical procedure? Is there something wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong. We'll tell you all about it tonight, in the privacy of your home."

Lois nodded. "Clark and I just want to help you."

"We know, and we believe you." Gar added. "We just need to think about this."

Lois rose from the table. "I understand. Will 7 PM work for you?" She handed them a card with their address which Raven took.

"We'll see you there."

_**-( scene break )-**_

Another decision for the Chromatically Challenged Couple™!


End file.
